The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma has dismissed the persistent claims by the state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha that the ruling party will lose elections in the state.

According to a statement released on Tuesday through his Director of Media and Special Duties, Hon. Declan Emelumba, Uzodinma described Okorocha’s claim as an empty threat and wishful thinking of a man who underestimated his unpopularity.

According to the statement, the only reason APC was back on track in Imo and set to sweep all the elections in 2019 was because of his emergence as the party’s governorship candidate.

“Contrary to the claims of the governor, if his son-in-law had won the APC governorship ticket in Imo, it would have been a ticket to nowhere except the doom of APC in the state,” the statement said.

“Okorocha has run for many elections, including the governorship of Imo State before 2011 and even the presidency and lost all. But in 2011 in particular, Imo people voted more against former governor Ikedi Ohakim than for Okorocha.

“So, he merely benefitted from the anger of the people against Ohakim. Even at that, the election went into a by-election where Ohakim was finally manipulated out of the race and Okorocha became governor.

“Also in 2015, Okorocha as incumbent governor could not win outright on first ballot. The election was concluded on a second ballot where some aggrieved PDP members helped again to manipulate him into the governorship office.


“I think this is more than enough evidence that in terms of popularity, Senator Uzodinma is far more popular than Okorocha in Imo West.

“The truth of the matter is that all strata of Imo society are celebrating Uzodinma’s victory as the APC candidate and this has brought them back on track to vote massively for APC in 2019.

“Uzodinma’s popularity in Imo state is infectious and it will not only guarantee victory for APC in Imo State but will rake in far more than 5 million votes for the APC from the South-East in 2019. So, let no one be deceived by Okorocha’s boast because he is the problem of APC in Imo State and the South East,” it added.