Senator Rochas Okorocha (APC Imo West) , has refuted story trending on some news platforms that he has dumped the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP).
Some of the online media platforms, had in the early hours of Thursday January 5, 2023 reported that Okorocha had dumped APC for PDP using photograph of his appearance with former Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha and some other chieftains of PDP at a burial ceremony to drive the story.
But a rebuttal signed by Sam Onwuemeodo, the Special Adviser on Media to Senator Okorocha, said the story was fake as Okorocua will not dump his party at a funeral ceremony.
The statement reads: “Our attention had been drawn to a story, claiming that, the former governor of lmo state and Senator Representing lmo West senatorial, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has joined the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
“To add flesh to the false story, those behind it also attached some photographs, with Senator Okorocha and a Chieftain of the PDP, Rt. Hon. Emeka lhedioha and others, being in the pictures.
“Those behind this false story, deliberately failed or refused to mention the venue and title of the event, where the photographs were taken. They could not also quote a portion of Okorocha’s speech that he must have at the so called event.
“They concealed or withheld those vital aspects of every event or story, because they would not serve their aim or goal.
“We are at ease, to say that, Okorocha has not joined the PDP. He is still a member of the APC. Burial ceremony could not have become political declaration rally.
“On Friday, December 30, 2022, Hon.Kingsley Uju, representing Ohaji-Egbema/Oguta/Oru West Federal Constituency, buried the mother, Lolo Caroline Uju, at her Home town, Egbema.
“Uju was Okorocha’s frontrow appointee. He served Okorocha and his government in various capacities, including being the Deputy Chief of staff and was his anchor man in the oil producing areas of the State. Okorocha was also instrumental to his going to the House of Representatives on the platform of APC. There’re also a lot of them like that.
‘Uju joined PDP when he discovered that his second term bid ticket, could not be guaranteed in APC. He succeeded in getting the PDP ticket. Okorocha would not have, in the circumstance, asked him to drop his second term bid.
“Uju buried the mother on Friday, December 30, 2022 . Okorocha was at the burial because Uju served him and his government with dedication and commitment. Okorocha would not have boycotted the burial because of Uju’s current political party. That would have been most uncharitable and unimaginable, especially when lgbo do not play politics with death and burial, even when the reverse seems to be the case these days.
“At the burial too, were PDP members where Uju belongs today. And lhedioha, one of the key leaders of PDP in lmo, was at the burial too, with his party chieftains.
The burial in question created an atmosphere of conviviality, in which case, people mixed up and interacted freely without minding which political parties they belong. Photographers were taking their shots without anybody being conscious of any attendant mischief, since the political leaders were all there, for Hon. Uju mother’s burial. lt was not a political rally. lt was also somewhat a carnival because the late woman lived a fulfilled life, with the children being handy.
“Unfortunately, those who play politics with everything, both human and inhuman, circulated some of the photographs taken at the burial and told their audience that, Okorocha had joined the PDP. Yet, they could not tell the same audience, the venue of the “joining” and what the event was all about.”
