THE Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Imo state, Emeka Ihedioha, has said that the party has prepared to reclaim the state from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in next week’s gubernatorial elections.
Ihedioha, who gave the assurance while fielding questions from journalists, adding that the incidence that led to the party losing to the APC in the past would not deter the Igbos from playing opposition politics in Nigeria to the admiration of the world.
He noted that he had worked tirelessly to ensure that he would be elected the governor of Imo State in April 11, urging the electorate to be resolute in repeating the 81 per cent votes they cast for the PDP last week.
Imo had been ruled for 12 years by the PDP, before Okorocha of the then All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), now in APC, took over in 2011 from Ikedi Ohakim
Ihedioha said: “Gov. Okorocha has lowered the bar of governance in the state. We have to reclaim the governance of Imo Sate. Igbo are not the first to play opposition in Nigeria. When I enter as governor, I will ensure that all our entitlements are received.”
He described the allegations by Okorocha that the PDP rigged elections in the state last week as “spurious and baseless”, stressing that it was a view of a “sinking man”.
Ihedioha accused the governor of planning to make the state ungovernable, demanding that the governor should apologise to the people of Imo State for allegedly tearing some electoral materials last week and allegedly manhandling some professors on electoral duties.
He accused the state government under the watch of the governor of brushing aside judiciary, legislature and local councils in the state.
The Deputy Speaker denied sponsoring the military to intimidate the electorate, and punctured the action of some school children who were arrested after they had planned to cast votes.“This is brazen action of a man who knows no bounds,”Ihedioha stated.
