The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state was still under suspension placed on him by the National Working Committee (NWC).
Okorocha, who was declared Senateor-elect is yet to receive a certificate of return presented to other Senators-elect on the reason that he was declared winner under duress.
When asked during a press briefing Wednesday in Abuja, National Publicity Secretary Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu said governor Okorocha remained under suspension, adding that until such was vacated, the party would not intervene.
“On the refusal of INEC to issue certificate of return to the governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha, who was announced winner of the Imo West senatorial ticket, this party cannot take any action. Don’t forget that he is on suspension and as far as this party is concerned, that situation remains because there is no way we can say that somebody is on suspension and still go ahead to intervene in his case.
“In any case, he has not even come up to inform the party of his problem because he has realised that he is on suspension. Therefore, until it is vacated, the party will now step in to intervene as a party member who has problem to resolve.”
On whether former Rivers state governor Rotimi Ameachi had committed anti-party activity for allegedly supporting governorship of African Action Congress (AAC), Onilu said: “I will emphatically say no because if you liken it to the situation in Imo and/or Ogun states, it will be wrong. In Rivers state, APC does not have any candidate and as a party, Rivers state is very important to us. The state has been in the hands of pillagers for too long.
“If we have the opportunity of working with party willing to abide by our principles, then it is within our right to work with such a party to ensure we free the people of Rivers state from the locust. In this case, he has not abandoned a particular candidate that belongs to the APC for a candidate of another party. They are entirely different issues and in that case, there is no anti-party. Whatever Amaechi has done is completely normal and acceptable to this party as far as working with other party is concerned.”
