Okorocha hints son-in-law, Nwosu, will join another party to contest Imo governorship election

Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, has hinted that Uche Nwosu, his son-in-law and favourite to become his successor will contest the governorship election under another political party.

Nwosu lost the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to Senator Hope Uzodinma in the primary election held in October.

He contested the result of the primary election but eventually lost the case as INEC confirmed Uzodinma as APC flagbearer for next year's governorship election following a decision by a court to strike out a suit filed by Okorocha's faction.

Speaking at a press briefing in Imo on Tuesday, November 27, Governor Okorocha insisted that he would support Nwosu's aspiration to contest elsewhere but insisted that he is still in APC and would contest Senatorial election under the party.

He said, "As a father of Imo state, I still remain in the best position to select the best among Emeka Ihedioha, Hope Uzodimma, Ifeanyi Araraume and Uche Nwosu who is the best among all of them. Nwosu believes in Imo state, he has investment in the state.

"Nwosu is my candidate. Any party that these young men want to go they are free and I want say it again that Nwosu is my candidate.

"What will happen is that while they move to realise their ambition under any other platform, I remain in APC and support them. Such parties will have no presidential candidate but will adopt President Muhammadu Buhari as their candidate.

"I have been trying to manage the situation but I have no moral justification to stop the aggrieved candidates who felt short-changed from realizing their ambitions in any other party but I have not left APC and do not intend to leave APC. But you must realize that in Imo we don’t play party politics but politics of individuals. People did not join APC because of anybody but because of me."

The governor reassured PresidentMuhammadu Buhari that his followers will deliver him in the presidential election and also vowed to punish any of them who disobey him.

He described the emergence of Senator Hope Uzodinma as the APC governorship candidate as "the worst imposition in Nigerian political history".

"What we saw in Imo APC was a clear case of injustice and the worst imposition in history. The party members are aggrieved and they will be moving to another party to pursue their ambitions and I am not going to stop them, but we are going to form alliance with whichever party they choose to deliver President Buhari.

"What is happening in Imo APC is interesting and strange, a party known for uprightness, justice and fairness as exemplified by President Muhammadu Buhari, has been dented by the actions of the national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, for whatever reasons he is yet to disclose," he said.