Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo says the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may be planning to organize a special event to issue him a certificate of return. Okorocha stated this on the backdrop of the omission of his name from those that INEC issued certificates of return. He stated this on Thursday in Abuja while speaking with newsmen in reaction to the development.
“I am sure you are aware that I was conspicuously absent at the certificates issuance ceremony. I was not there because INEC has removed my name from the list of elected Senators, having been declared the winner by the zonal returning officer. I am actually waiting to hear why INEC struck my name out. I think probably, INEC must be trying to do something special, because I understand that once results have been declared and returns made, then you are bound to be issued a certificate of return,” he said.
“Maybe, INEC will want to organize a special programme for me to hand over the certificate of return to me, because clearly, I won and it was a peaceful election, the best you can ever think of,” he said.
Okorocha was suspended from the All Progressives Congress (APC) on March 1 over alleged anti party activities by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC). Though he was said to have won the Imo West Senatorial election held on Feb. 23, INEC omitted his name from those it issued certificates of return.
There have been speculations that Okorocha was declared winner of the Feb.23, election under duress by the Returning Officer of the election. Okorocha, while debunking the allegation, said some persons who are opposed to his election’s victory are working to rig him out. “Those behind the plot, are however, not smart in executing the project to rig me and my son in-law who is the governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) Uche Nwosu out,” he said.
Okorocha criticized INEC’s declaration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Chief Emeka Ihedioha as Imo Governor-elect, saying he fell short of the criteria. He alleged that Ihedioha did not have the needed spread of 25 per cent votes across the Local Government Areas of the state as required by law to emerge winner. He stressed that the PDP candidate could, therefore not be declared winner of the poll.
He added that he was however, in the dark as to why the commission exempted him from the ceremony and why he was not invited to collect his certificate of return. He said the allegations in some quarters that he was declared winner under duress as claimed by the electoral commissioner could not be true.
“I do not understand what that means, because there was nothing of such. How can you put somebody on duress to declare you the winner of an election that you have already won? It is not true, but I must let the world understand that this is a game that is being played. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Imo is playing a script, and the script is so funny, it is so cruel and crude actually and they are executing it in a funny way. I understand that people are beginning to fight a war of the future now when we are not even yet there. The idea is that, do not give Okorocha a certificate; you must slow him down until after they have elected the presiding office, then you can let him come in,” he said.
He added that the idea is to also ensure that he does not become anything in the Senate and to make sure that his governorship candidate, who is his son in-law does not emerge winner. Okorocha further added that his political opponents wanted to cripple him politically before 2023, saying that this is what is happening. He said INEC should not allow his political opponents to use it as an instrument to achieve their desires. “I will advise INEC to do the right thing, to release my certificate so that I can celebrate as others, I want to be in the Senate, and it will be interesting if am there,” Okorocha said.
Okorocha also took a swipe at APC National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole, and the party’s governorship candidate, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, for the inability of the party to win the governorship election in the state. He said posterity would judge the two for their alleged roles in the election.
In a release issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo in Owerri on Thursday, the governor alleged that Uzodinma worked for PDP in the just concluded elections. He said Uzodimma was one of the first to celebrate with the PDP Candidate, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, after he was declared the winner of the election, citing a video of the two contestants as proof of his guilt.
“We had maintained that Chief Uzodinma was just a mole in the APC and today, the governorship election in the state and its outcome have obviously vindicated us, aside the fact that a video of Chief Uzodinma’s celebration with Ihedioha has gone viral on the social media.”
He also alleged that Uzodimma succeeded in the alleged plot by ensuring only his supporters were made agents of the party, adding that his target was to destroy APC in the South-East. “Chief Uzodinma succeeded through Adams Oshiomhole to ensure that only his supporters were made agents of the party, from the list he sent from Abuja to the Independent National Electoral Commission. Unfortunately, none of Uzodinma’s and Oshiomhole’s approved agents were seen either at the ward, local government or at the state level; they didn’t care about the election and its outcome.
“At the end of the day, the APC candidate came fourth. And he has been celebrating with the PDP candidate. Their target as it has been shown now is to totally destroy APC in the South-East and in Imo in particular, thereby authenticating the claim in some quarters that it is all about 2023. We had equally maintained the contention that Imo people would not vote for Uzodinma because they know him very well, but Oshiomhole refused to listen. He came fourth and never showed that he took part in the election; Posterity and history will Judge Oshiomhole and Uzodinma over the fate of APC in the South-East, especially in Imo State,” Okorocha said.
