The Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha has said that he would leave no stone unturned until he sees John Odigie-Oyegun, Osita Izunaso and others imprisoned for dragging the All Progressives Congress, APC backwards.
Okorocha spoke in reaction to the recognition of the rival faction of the party by the national executive of the APC, despite separate court injunctions ordering all parties to the suits to maintain the status quo.
He said with the manner Oyegun had piloted the affairs of the party, it was obvious that its leaders must have over-rated his capacity by allowing him to succeed Chief Bisi Akande as the national chairman of the party.
According to the Imo governor, Oyegun had taken the party backwards such that there is no state where party does not have crisis or faction.
“Again, the way Chief Oyegun pursued the issue of tenure elongation also showed how selfish and greedy he is. He is not interested in the well-being or future of the party, but only interested in staying put as the national chairman of the party. That is why he is after anybody who opposed the tenure elongation.
“The worst thing that would have happened to APC is to have allowed Chief Oyegun to continue as the national chairman of the party. It would have been worse for the party.
“Chief Akande never tried to destroy the party because he was leaving as the pioneer chairman. But Oyegun wants to destroy the party because he is leaving. He is not patriotic,” Okorocha declared.
He further stated that in the case of Imo State, Oyegun disobeyed two court orders with regard to the congresses in the state, adding that the inauguration of “strange elements” as the state officials of the party was done to get at him because he (Okorocha) fought against the tenure elongation.
According to the Imo governor, “We have no option now than to ask our lawyers to press for his imprisonment and that of Osita Izunaso and all those who were involved in the lawlessness.”
The governor said the only thing Oyegun achieved in the party was to anger him (Okorocha) by encouraging people like Osita Okechukwu (VON DG) and those from Imo State to insult him, noting: “These are people who cannot win their booths in an election.”
Speaking in the third party, Okorocha added: “The same elements came together during the Anambra State governorship election. The governor (Okorocha) stayed away and at the end of the day, they could not justify their noise making.
“They have started again. And these are people who have been contesting elections since 2007 and have not won any.
“Chief Oyegun was also quoted to have said in an interview that the South-east or Imo APC stakeholders are united against Governor Okorocha. Let them hold a South-east or Imo rally at a venue and let Rochas hold his own at another location and let’s see the outcome.
“In case Chief Oyegun does not know, Imo APC members won’t allow any faction. The APC in Imo and even in the South-east is Governor Okorocha’s making. And it will be foolish for anybody to think that he would build the party and allow cowards to take it over.
“If they have the political strength, let them go and pick a party and present a candidate, it will be very interesting.”