Ohakim not going to APC

Following a false but widely reported allegation that the former governor of Imo State Dr Ikedi Ohakim was considering joining APC, the former governor through his Chief Press Secretary Collins Ughalaa has issued a press statement to refute the report:

*PRESS RELEASE*

*IKEDI OHAKIM NOT JOINING APC AT ALL*

Our attention has been drawn to a false news report on Saturday Nigeria Horn newspaper, May 5, 2018, captioned OHAKIM SET TO JOIN APC, wherein the newspaper said that Dr Ikedi Ohakim has concluded plans to dump his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and join the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State.

Ordinarily we would have ignored the story but because of the concern it has raised we decided to restate that the story is false in its entirety.

His Excellency Dr Ikedi Ohakim is not joining the APC. There is no plan to do so. There is no negotiation of kind for Ohakim to join the APC.

Those who have joined the APC in Imo State did so entirely on their own and had no meeting with Dr Ikedi Ohakim prior to or after their joining the APC, nor has it been even suggested to them or anyone else that Dr Ikedi Ohakim intends to join the APC.

We believe that despite the window dressing going on, events in the state show that the APC is dead on arrival in Imo State. Joining the APC would therefore mean passing a vote of confidence on Governor Okorocha in the face of the pains he has created in Imo State. Ohakim cannot pass a vote of confidence on the Governor by joining the APC.

The story that Ohakim wants to join the APC is the product of a lazy mind, moreso as it lacked any authoritative source and thus has all the resemblance of Jankara news reporting. Such false and baseless report do not represent the fine ethos of journalism as peddling falsehood does not showcase truth and fact which are the hallmark of journalism.

Dr. Ikedi Ohakim is not running away from the PDP which he helped build. He remains the last Governor of the PDP and cannot be overshadowed by any governorship aspirant in the PDP or any other party or a group of aspirants. The beauty of democracy lies in the opportunity the masses have to choose their leaders. It is only from doing so that any government can gain legitimacy, and truly be the people's government.

Dr Ikedi Ohakim had told hundreds of journalists on February 4, 2018, that he is still a member of the PDP, and that he is running for the 2019 governorship election on the party's platform. If for any reason he changes his mind to join any other party, it won't be the APC. There are more than 60 registered political parties in the country. If Ohakim decides to join any of them it won't be the APC and he won't do it like Nicodemus. He will make it open and there will be no room for speculation or rumour mongering.

The general public and the teaming supporters of His Excellency Dr Ikedi Ohakim are therefore urged to throw away the news report as a worthless piece of article on the shelve.

Sighed:

Collins Ughalaa, Chief Press Secretary to His Excellency Dr Ikedi Ohakim.

5/5/2018.