Okorocha's supporters call for the arrest of Oshiomhole over his refusal to submit Uche Nwosu's name to Inec

GOVERNOR Rochas Okorocha's supporters have called for the arrest of All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman Adams Oshiomhole for not submitting the name of Uche Nwosu to the Independent National electoral Commission (Inec) as its Imo State gubernatorial candidate.

Over the last few weeks, Governor Okorocha has been involved in a bitter spat with several members of his APC in Imo State over his plans to anoint his son-in-law Uche Nwosu as his successor. In a development that has divided the party in the state, some members of the party are backing Senator Hope Uzodinma as the APC gubernatorial candidate and they got their wish as the national secretariat forwarded his name to Inec.

However, Governor Okorocha and Mr Nwosu are challenging this decision, saying that they won a free and fair primary. Chidi Ibe, Mr Nwosu's campaign director, added that for submitting Senator Uzodinma's name to Inec, Mr Oshiomhole has arrogated to himself the right to determine the future of Imo State.

Mr Ibe added: “I want to tell you that Nwosu is our candidate and our candidate of the election that will come up soon. This is against the rumour that is making round that Nwosu will leave the party, what Uzodinma and his supporters are doing.

“They cannot truncate the mandate given to Nwosu and we will do everything possible to stop them from taking away the mandate of the Imo people given to Nwosu.  Remember Gulak briefed us that the election will hold the next day but by 4am, Gulak absconded and went to Abuja and announced the result, which the national chairman disbanded and another committee was set up.

“The national working committee (NWC), set up another committee and at the end of the Ibrahim Agbabiaka governorship primaries, the NWC, upheld the results which Nwosu was declared as the winner. We want to tell you that our principal has not chickened out and we have not seen any reason why an individual should come and truncate the ambition of a young man."

He denied rumours that Mr Nwosu had left the APC, saying he will never do so. According to Mr Ibe, Senator Uzodinma is not even a card-carrying member of the APC, so cannot be declared the winner over Mr Nwosu.

“The national chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, has not told us his interest in Imo state but whatever it is, Oshiomhole’s interest cannot jeopardise the interest of the people of Imo State. The voice of the national chairman cannot end the mandate of the people.

"In fact him and Gulak should be arrested for what is happening in Imo. We had a primary election and Imo people came out and voted for Nwosu and we should ask where is the result of that election," Mr Ibe added.