—-PRESS RELEASE—-
—-SINCE 1979, IMO HAS NEVER WITNESSED THIS LEVEL OF INTOLERANCE AND RASCALITY IN HER POLITICS.
On October 29, 2026, the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, gave judgement in a matter, involving Senator Rochas Okorocha, APC, INEC, and Senator Hope Uzodimma. And that was, over who actually won the APC primary for lmo West Senatorial District.
Of course, whether it was constitutionally right, for Governor Uzodimma to become the Candidate of APC for the 2027 National Assembly election, when his tenure as governor will expire in 2028. Justice Egwuatu, based on the overwhelming evidence before him, saw that Okorocha won the primary in dispute, and ruled to that effect. The judge equally held that, the Constitution, as Amended, had taken position against what the lmo governor wants to do. Being Senator and Governor at the same time. And it would have been a very bad precedent, if the court had ruled otherwise on the issue.
Following this judgement, the Imo State Government and her agents, have continued to be restive, even when they had announced that they would appeal the judgement. And it is even more interesting to note that, it was not any of the Senior Advocates who handled the case for the governor that gave the indication for appeal, as it is always the case. It was the lmo Information Commissioner, Mr. Mbadiwe Emelumba who gave that appeal notice.
Unfortunately, all those the governor had told to get ready as his likely successors, many of them, and those who want to be local Government Chairmen, have turned the Court judgement into a contest. The contest of who would insult Okorocha more, as a criterion to be chosen as either the governor’s successor, or as local government chairmen. That’s the reason for the restiveness. The reason for this atmosphere of chaos. A government that believes that, you can only get something when you insult or attack opponents of the governor.
The question now is, having given indication for appeal, why can’t the governor and his aides go on appeal like they had indicated, and wait to see the outcome of the appeal?. Why creating the amosphere of uncertainty. Atmosphere of uneasiness. Atmosphere of squabble. Why the stampede?. Why resorting to self- help?. Why the rowdiness?. Why this resort to anarchy?.
With their actions and utterances, obiviously, they have been demarketing, embarrassing and blackmailing the state and her people. They have taken over all the television stations, radio stations and newspapers in this Country, insulting the Judiciary, insulting the Leadership of APC, insulting Okorocha. They have taken to self-help. They have taken to rascality.
From 1979, no government in lmo, had been so intolerant, so aggressive, so undemocratic, so unfriendly and so troublesome, like the 3R Government in the State today. And they’re sustaining or maintaining such belligerent, bestial, and benighted record. Call it 3b government.
In 1979, Sam.Mbakwe won the governorship election. His opponent, Nwakanma Okoro went to court. At the end of the day, Mbakwe’s deputy, Issaac Uzoigwe was disqualified. Mbakwe didn’t go to war. And the NPN opposition led by Prof. Rowland Anyanwu, Collins Obi, etal, was so strong that Mbakwe’s second term bid was seriously threatened. Yet, lmo remained intact. There was no anarchy. There was no intolerance. There was no “head-on collision”. Imo won, at the end of the day.
Evans Enwerem of the NRC, saw the strongest opposition in the SDP led by Arthur Nzeribe. Yet, lmo won in all ramifications. There was no chaos. There was no “it must end today” Achike Udenwa came and had his own opposition, that, he could not have a successor of his choice. The man he preferred to succeed him even lost the PDD primary. All the senators and Ministers from lmo were opposed to Udenwa. Yet, he didn’t declare war in lmo. Ikedi Ohakim came and faced a highly coordinated opposition, that, he lost his second term desire. Yet, he didn’t ask thunder to fire lmo and her people. He walked away. Rochas Okorocha came and had the strongest opposition and ctitics in the history of lmo politics. And also could not have a successor of his choice. He never harrassed and went after the opposition or critics. He never asked heaven and earth to collapse. He walked away. Emeka lhedioha came, sworn in as lmo Governor. Seven months after, senator Uzodimma who came fourth in the election, was declaed winner by the Supreme Court. Ihedioha did not ask the State to evaporate or exit from the surface of the earth. He simply walked away.
Why would Gov. Uzodimma feel that it is either him or nothing?. Why would he think that, lmo would begin and end with him. For the first time in the history of lmo State, that a sitting governor would want to instal the three Senators, the ten House of Representatives members, the twenty Seven House of Assembly members, and the twenty seven local Government Chairmen in the State. A development that has never happened in lmo since 1979. Trying to bequeath a very bad or awkward precedent on lmo?.
His aides have also begun to compare his “achievements”, with those of Okorocha. And we are going to engage them. It’s going to be comprehensive, including constitutional ones like the issue of protection of lives and property. Gov. Uzodimma has never done any virgin road in lmo. Okorocha cleared forests and constructed roads on them. Akachi road leading to Aba road was a forest. First, second, third, fourth and fifth in-land roads were all bushes before Okorocha came. The DSS road was a forest. All the roads in new Owerri were opened and constructed by Okorocha. They should tell us one virgin road opened and constructed by Gov. Uzodimma. Just one. Okorocha constructed five-kilometre of roads in each of the 27 local Governments in the state. Some, seven kilometres. They said, Okorocha constructed China roads. We have agreed. Let them tell us one local Government in the State, the current governmrnt has constructed one kilometre road whether
China or France or British?. None.
Since the inception of this government, no group has gone to government House on protest, because the group that tried it, those involved were made to see their ears with their eyes. And that’s one of the democratic rights of the citizens.
The government in the State today has destroyed the beauty of lmo politics. Destroyed the Judiciary and other lnstitutions. Under Okorocha, justice Njemanze from Owerri Municipal became the Chief Judge of the state without any eyebrow raised. After him, Justice Nnadi, from Owerri North. Okorocha never cared about where they had come from. The most important thing was preserving the integrity of that lnstitution. But today, who becomes the Chief judge of the state has become a lingering issue. The joy and excitement with which lmo people play their politics, have been destroyed or torpedoed. No more opposition. No more critisms. No more tolerance.
The humour Mbakwe, Enwerem, Udenwa, Ohakim, Okorocha, lhedioha, brought into lmo politics, the current government has made it to develope wing and flew away. Everything is war and wrestling. No, this is not in the character of lmo and her people. No lmo man or woman has laughed under this 3R government. Or, feel protected.
You ask, why spending billions of naira going to newspapers, televion and radio stations, to attack Okorocha, and berate Justice Egwuatu, when you have announced that you would appeal the judgement?. This is not the lmo we all know. The same lmo, Nzeribe, lwuanyanwu, Mbakwe and Enwerem played their respective politics, and never clashed any day.
Finally, Governor Uzodimma and his aides, should be conscious of the verdicts of history and posterity. If those who had been governor before him had collapsed the state, he would not have seen any state to govern. So, he should not eclipse or submerge the state for any reason. With all these, the lmo governor is simply telling Okorocha to also go haywire in the event of the appeal Court giving him favourable judgement tomorrow. The level of joy or celebration across the state, and across party affiliations over the FHC judgement, should have called for sober reflection on the side of the governor and his lieutenants. By strength shall no man prevail.
Thank you.
Sam. Onwuemeodo.
Chief Press Secretary/Special Adviser on Media to the former Governor of lmo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.