Rochas Okorocha missing as Imo APC governorship campaign begins

The governorship campaign of the All Progressives Congress(APC) kicked off on Friday in Owerri with Imo State governor Rochas Okorocha c...

The governorship campaign of the All Progressives Congress(APC) kicked off on Friday in Owerri with Imo State governor Rochas Okorocha conspicuously missing.

But the National Chairman Comrade Adams Oshiomole led other national officers of the party to the event.

Members of the State Executive Committee of the party were also absent at the scantily attended ceremony.

The usual crowd that attends APC gatherings in the state was missing as only supporters of the governorship candidate, Hope Uzodinma, gathered at his Campaign Headquarters along Okigwe road where the event held.

Oshiomhole, who has been in a running battle with the Imo governor, accused him (Okorocha) of frustrating the APC candidate, an action he described as anti-party.

He stated by denying the APC candidate use of the stadium, the governor has shown he is working against the party.



But the Okorocha swiftly described claim he locked the stadium as false.

Oshiomole said the stadium was built with tax payers' money and not Okorocha's personal fund, recalling how Okorocha cried out in 2011 when the then governor, Ikedi Ohakim, stopped him from using the stadium for his campaign.

Oshiomhole also accused the governor of neglecting the people of the state with his style of governance.

He said: "Let me appreciate the members of the National Working Committee for coming to join the governorship candidate of our party, we approach with one simple message.

"It is a message of Hope, not a message of lamentation. I want you to listen because for me campaign is not about entertainment.

"Today, we have come to deliver the message of Hope although things have gone wrong in the past.

"We have come to return the government of Imo state to the great people of Imo state.

"We have come to tell you that we have respect for you people. The next governor in the person of Senator Hope Uzodimma will restore all that have been destroyed.

"Please Imo people cool temper. Today is a day to pass a message of Hope. Today we desire to talk to the young people especially to my fellow colleagues the civil servants.

"The days are gone for a governor who will look at people and say there is money to do other things and not to pay civil servants".

He went on: "I want to tell you that those governors that were given money including the governor of Imo state that did not use it for that purpose will be retrieved.

"Buhari has adopted Hope Uzodimma as the governor of Imo state. I want you to go and tell people what I said.

"Nigeria needs to produce political leaders that have political concentration.

"How will you believe that an APC governor will lock the stadium against an APC, governorship candidate?

"It is the tax payers' money that is used to build that stadium and not his personal money".