Imo State governor, Rocha Okorocha, has claimed that the court order, which the Independent National Electoral Commission relies on to recognise Senator Hope Uzodinma as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the state, might have been forged.
The governor challenged Uzodinma or the electoral commission to publish the court order if it existed.
Okorocha, who spoke to SUNDAY PUNCH through the Chief Press Secretary, Mr Sam Onwuemedo, said he was not interested in removing the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, from office, stressing that Oshiomhole should allow the truth to prevail.
He said, “Governor Okorocha played a key role in the emergence of Adams Oshiomhole as the chairman of the party. Our interest is not who goes or who stays. We are asking for justice and this is what we are saying. The national chairman (Oshiomhole) disbanded the Ahmed Gulak committee and set up another, headed by Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Amabiaka (retd.); the man came here and conducted the primary election.
“But the same Oshiomhole went back to start dealing with the Gulak committee again. There is another issue. We want Nigerians to ask Hope Uzodinma to publish the court order he gave to INEC which they (INEC) relied on to publish his name as the APC governorship candidate in Imo.
“When Uche Nwosu got his court order, it was published in national newspapers for Nigerians to see. We are suspecting that Hope Uzodinma must have given INEC a fake court order. You can see the type of court cases against him.
“He must have given INEC a fake court order and if INEC has the court order, it should publish it; at least it is a public document.
“If he can’t publish the court order, then, he must have deceived INEC.”
Attempts by our correspondent to get the reaction of Uzodinma on the issue were not successful on Saturday.
Calls made to his mobile phone did not connect and he had yet to respond to a text message sent to him as of the time of filing this report.
