The Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has accused the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, of attacking, abusing and blackmailing him.
Okorocha was reacting to Oshiomhole’s statement that the APC was not party to the Governor’s fight with Christian community, especially the Catholic Church in Imo State.
Oshiomhole had told Archbishop Anthony Obinna of the Owerri Arch diocese and the entire Christian community in Imo State on Saturday that the APC was not party to what he described as the lack of respect exhibited to the church by Okorocha.
Okorocha said he had shown maturity by avoiding abuse and name-calling when he speaks to the media and called Oshiomhole to emulate him.
In a statement on Monday night by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, Okorocha said Oshiomhole’s apology to the Archbishop was a deliberate blackmail.
The statement added, “In responding to that deliberate blackmail, we won’t toe the part of Comrade Oshiomhole.
“We recognise the fact that he is the National Chairman of a ruling party, which President Muhammadu Buhari is the leader, and we would not therefore throw caution to the wind like he did, when he was abusing or attacking governors in his party as if he is the publicity secretary of any of the opposition parties.
“If he had asked questions, he would have discovered that members of the Catholic Church in the state constitute the bulk of Governor Okorocha’s supporters, especially at the grassroots.
“They voted for him overwhelmingly in 2011 and 2015 respectively. And he has never taken their support for granted.
“He has shown gratitude in several ways which cannot be catalogued in this response, including making them the majority in his cabinet
“The man has put himself on trial and that is the reason since that woeful and awful outing, he has made more than nine claims to see how he could recover but all to no avail. He murdered sleep and would remain awake.
“As a matter of fact, the National Chairman did not treat the concerned governors well no matter his reasons. He should not expect them to go home celebrating.
“In the circumstances, his utterances and actions should be responsive and reconciliatory to a very large extent and not declaration of war.”
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