Senator Uzodinma gives account how PDP manipulated Okorocha into office in 2011, 2015  

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, has revealed that it was aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, that manipulated Governor Rochas Okorocha into power in 2011.

He said the Okorocha never won election outrightly in his political career, adding that the Governor has underestimated how unpopular he has become in the state.

The lawmaker made the statement following Okorocha’s claims that the party will lose the state and five million votes in the South East for denying his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, the governorship ticket of the party.

Uzodinma said Okorocha was a minus in the ruling party adding that the only reason the APC would win in the state is his being the governorship candidate of the party.

This was part of a statement by his Director of Media and Special Duties, Declan Emelumba.

He said, “Okorocha has run for many elections, including the governorship of Imo State, before 2011, and even the presidency, and lost all. But, in 2011, in particular, Imo people voted more against former governor Ikedi Ohakim than for Okorocha, so, he merely benefitted from the anger of the people against Ohakim.

“Even at that, the election went into a bi-election, where Ohakim was finally manipulated out of the race and Okorocha became governor. Also, in 2015, Okorocha, as incumbent governor, could not win outright on first ballot.

“The election was concluded on a second ballot, where some aggrieved PDP members helped, again, to manipulate him into the governorship.”

Uzodima further said he defeated Okorocha’s political party in Imo West Senatorial District in 2011 and 2015, even as governorship candidate and incumbent governor, respectively.

“I think this is more than enough evidence that in terms of popularity, Senator Uzodinma is far more popular than Okorocha in Imo West (the biggest senatorial district in Nigeria) where both come from.

“The truth of the matter is that all strata of Imo society are celebrating Uzodinma’s victory as the APC governorship candidate and this has brought them back on track to vote massively for APC in 2019.

“Uzodinma’s popularity in Imo State is infectious and it will not only guarantee victory for APC, but will rake in far more than five million votes for the APC from the South East in 2019. So, let no one be deceived by Okorocha’s boast because he is the problem of APC in Imo State and the South East.”