The Nigeria ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) has revealed the next line of action following the ‘war’ between Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma and his predecessor, Senator Rochas Okorocha.
Conversing with reporters on the disagreement between the two political leaders earlier, the National Secretary of the APC Caretaker /Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe, said what is left for the party now is to maintain peace.
According to Akpanudoedehe, the intervention of the South-East Governors’ Forum will bring to an end the lingering ‘war’ between the two senior party leaders.
He said, “The misunderstanding between the two senior members of our great party will soon be resolved. Governors have intervened. And as a party, we are confident that the governors will talk to one another and resolve the issues. What is left now, is for us to manage the peace.”
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Orlando Ikeokwu, had stated earlier while speaking with newsmen in Owerri, the state capital, Senator Okorochas was arrested for violently breaking into the government-sealed Royal palm spring estate along Akachi road in Owerri.
Ikeokwu revealed that police personnel moved to the scene following a distress call that the Royal Palm spring Estate sealed by the government had been violently opened by men led by Okorocha.
Meanwhile, several pro-APC groups had in a peaceful protest in Abuja, to appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Governor, Mai Mala Buni-led Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, to intervene and end the war of attrition between the two senior party leaders.
Naija News reports that the battle of wits between Uzodinma and Okorocha become a thing of concern on Sunday when their supporters clashed in Owerri. Okorocha, his wife and some of their aides were arrested by the police for allegedly breaking into a sealed property owned by Mrs. Okorocha.
A coalition of pro-APC groups staged a peaceful protest in Abuja, on Monday, to draw the attention of the party leadership to the need to intervene in order to stop the feud from degenerating further.
Chairman of one of the participating groups, Nigerians in Diaspora, Dr. Kingman Chikelu, said his group had written 16 petitions to foreign Embassies and High Commissions over the crisis in Imo State.
According to him, the political feud was an embarrassment to Nigeria and Nigerians at home and abroad.
In his address during the event, the representative of Arewa Youth Consultative Council, Toyib Ibrahim, said “As a conscious and oriented youth organization, we condemn the arrest and maltreatment of the former Governor of Imo State and Senator representing Imo West Senatorial District, His Excellency, Rochas Okorocha, for venturing into the Royal palm estate.”
On its part, the APC student’s wing, represented by their President, Tiefa Pete, said, “We are here today to register our displeasure over the silence of the party structure and to call on the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led caretaker committee to call Governor Hope Uzodinma to order.”
