…as APC guber candidate shuns presidential probe panel
Uche Nwosu, the son-in-law to the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, on Tuesday said that the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Senator Hope Uzodinma, would not be governor in 2019.
Nwosu who spoke to his supporters shortly after his arrival from Abuja, said that “Uzodinma is a tenant in the APC.”
Nwosu who is laying claim to the governorship ticket of the party in the state said that the court will deliver judgement in his favour.
He debunked the rumour making the rounds that he had concluded plans to dump the APC for another party in order to realise his governorship ambition.
Nwosu said “I am the lawful governorship candidate of the APC in Imo state. Our national chairman did not respect the rule of law and the constitution of our party in substituting senator Hope Uzodinma’s name for mine.
“The records are very clear. I won the first primary election on October 2. I also won the second primary held on October 6. The records are there. The police, INEC and DSS reports affirm my victories.”
“It is only for a matter of time. We will get justice in court. My name shall be on the ballot. I shall be announced as the APC governorship candidate in Imo state. Hope Uzodinma won’t be governor.”
“There is no truth in the rumour that I have dumped the APC for Democratic Alternative. I am still in APC. I am a founding member of the ruling party. I won the ticket of the party and I shall lead the APC to victory in Imo state in 2019.”
Meanwhile, Sen. Hope Uzodinma, on Tuesday defied invitation by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for Recovery of Public Property to him to appear and answer questions over alleged fraud against him.
Spokesperson of the panel, Ms Lucie-Ann Laha, disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja late on Tuesday after a long wait by the panel’s officials and newsmen for the senator.
Uzodinma was on Sunday arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, by the police at the instance of the panel.
He was arrested in connection of a case on alleged failure of his company to execute a contract of 12 million dollars for the dredging of Calabar Port channel.
He was released same day after an interrogation session with officials of the panel, who released him and directed that he should return on Tuesday for continuation of the probe.
The spokesperson said the senator had defied the invitation by failure to appear at the panel’s office as agreed.
An earlier statement by Chairman of the Panel, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, said that Uzodinma had been evading arrest for about a year.
“The panel is investigating economic sabotage against Sen. Uzodinma arising out of the failure of his company to execute a contract of 12 million dollars for the dredging of Calabar channel awarded by the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA),” the statement said.
