A new disagreement emerged over the weekend between the two factions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo state, each calling for authentic leadership from the party’s state chapter.
The two factions are the executive led by Daniel Nwafor, who is loyal to former Governor Rochas Okorocha, and the MacDonald Ebere-led faction loyal to Governor Hope Uzodimma.
A statement issued by the publicity secretary of the Ebere-led faction, Cajetan Duke, called on Okorocha to resign over what he called poor performance and his penchant for distracting Uzodimma from providing good governance and the dividends of democracy to the people of Imo.
But the Nwafor-led group claimed Okorocha remained the true APC leader in the state, citing several court rulings in his favor.
He demanded that the group loyal to Uzodimma desist from spoofing and apologize for asking Okorocha to resign from the Senate.
In a statement issued by Nwafor-led executive acting publicity secretary Michael Anyanwu said: “Duke’s statement calling on a representative from the Imo West Senate District Okorocha to resign is offensive and we urge you to retract and apologize. immediately to our leader and co-founder of the party ”.
Citing the rulings of various courts in his favor, he insisted that the verdict issued in various courts “ratified this fact and ruled that not even the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party can dissolve the executive led by Nwafor in the state of Imo until our mandate. ends.”
He cautioned those he described as copycats, adding: “We have come a long way in building the party in Imo state and we want to warn copycats to desist from illegally exhibiting or facing prosecution.”
However, the faction led by Ebere gave Okorocha the option to resign, accusing him of alleged incompetence and poor performance.
“The people of Imo are fed up with Okorocha and his relatives, whom they consider incapable of holding any public office in the country given their poor performance in the state,” the statement read.
The statement cited the former governor’s recent comments in a television interview in which he criticized Uzodimma, underlining: “Our party condemns Okorocha’s attempt to vilify the governor, with outlandish statements and accusations of hatred and vehemence.
Instead of presenting himself as good presidential material, Okorocha is ruining himself by trying to tarnish Uzodimma’s image with lies, unsubstantiated accusations and fabrications like the supposed Hope Strike Force.
“We are aware that Okorocha is a master of ostrich politics and swagger, which he used to deceive the people of Imo for eight years, but this time he has failed,” the statement added.