Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state have been accused of plotting to arm twist Imo lawmakers into endorsing his son-in-law and Chief of Staff, Hon. Uche Nwosu, as his successor on video camera. The Governor is said to believe that the endorsement could give his Chief of Staff some political mileage.
According to the source in the Imo state government house, it was gathered that Governor Okorocha was furious that twenty lawmakers who had purportedly endorsed Nwosu for governor come 2019, turned round to deny the claim.
According to Vanguard, the source revealed that the exercise of recording the endorsements of the said 20 lawmakers will take place at a hotel, known as ‘Kelvic Suites’ located in New Owerri, behind New Concorde Hotel, by 10 am, Wednesday, March 28, 2018.
The hotel, said to be owned by the Deputy Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, who is also from the same Federal Constituency with Hon. Nwosu, has reportedly become a beehive of activities for mobilizing support for the governor’s son in-law.
It was further revealed that Okorocha had threatened to deny any law maker who fails to endorse his son-in-law ticket to return to the House in 2019.
Hon. Henry Ezediaro, member of Imo State House of Assembly, last week, addressed the press, alleging that twenty law makers had endorsed the governorship ambition of Nwosu.
Angered by Hon. Ezediaro’s revelation, the lawmakers, in a twist, accused him of telling lies against them, with some of them distancing and out rightly backing down on the said endorsement of Hon Uche Nwosu.
Ezediaro had listed the following lawmakers to be in support of the endorsement: Ugonna Ozuruigbo representing (Nwangele) Luggard Osuji, former Majority leader (Owerri Municipal) Chukwuemeka Lloyd (Owerri North) Ekenna Nzerue (Oru East), Innocent Egwim (Ideato North), Obinna Egu (Ngor Okpala), Ngozi Obiefula (Isu) and Uju Onwudiwe (Njaba).
Others are Victor Onyewuchi (Owerri West), Uche Agabiga (Orsu), Emma Orie (Ohaji/Egbema), Ikechukwu Anwunka (Ideato South), Henry Ezediaro (Oguta), Roman Duruji (Ehime Mbano) and Marcel Odunze (Orlu).