The Imo state Chairman of the Action Alliance, AA, Mr. Uchendu Ahaneku, has said that Mr. Uche Nwosu, the son-in-law to the state Governor, Rochas Okorocha, followed due process in clinching the governorship ticket of AA.
Ahaneku, alongside members of his State Working Committee, SWC, who disclosed this at the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, center in Owerri, also denied that Leonard Okolienta was the governorship candidate of the party in the state.
Recall that Okolienta had gone to court to challenge the emergency of Nwosu as AA, governorship flag-bearer in the state.
In the suit, he argued that he was the authentic governorship standard bearer of the party, adding that he has been denied his mandate but maintained that he would recover it through the court.
However, the state chairman of AA, Ahaneku claimed Okolienta’s name was not on the record of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
He however said that Nwosu fulfilled all the constitutional provisions to emerge the candidate of AA.
According to him, “This is indeed a very great day from all of us. It is indeed a new dawn. Since after the primaries of Action Alliance in Imo state, I have been very careful especially on the guber and House of Assembly tickets in Imo state.
“Today, whatever I say I want to be quoted in every position. It was just yesterday (Tuesday) that Imo people gathered at the Imo Airport, to welcome the only constituted guber candidate of our party, Uche Nwosu.
“He is a young man. Action Alliance, is not a new party it has been in existence. The leadership is intact. I want to say here that with all sense of humility, the emergence of Uche Nwosu, followed all due process. In the light of his emergence, AA, has continued to set the agenda. Nwosu has joined the party as an entity. He will work with the manifesto of AA.”
According to him, the claim by Leonard Okolienta was false.
“He is not saying the truth. I want to make it as a note of understanding. The man attempted to come into the leadership of the party through the back door. He is not known to the party because he has not paid his constitutional dues of the party.
“He does not have the necessary endorsement that qualify him as a party member. The constitution of AA, is clear which he did not meet. Okolienta has no waver to contest that election. His name is nowhere near the INEC office. However, AA does not close doors to who will follow our rules.
“We therefore call on Imolites to support our candidate, ahead of the 2019 guber election.”
According to AA party chairman, Okolienta’s name is not on INCE’s record.
He said “the name submitted was that of Mike Ikeokwu and Uchenna Ahaneku, as his running mate. Whatever I tell you is authentic. He is like a man who purchase the form for exam and refuse to go into the exam hall. There is nothing we have seen that shows that he has served us or taken us to court.”
