The All Progressive Congress (APC) has imposed an indefinite suspension on Imo State’s former Governor, Rochas Okorocha, for allegedly engaging in anti-party activities across Nigeria and other APC laws discovered to have been contravened by Okorocha.
APC said that the suspension of Okorocha, who currently represents Imo West senatorial district at the Senate, was approved after its National Working Committee (NWC) reviewed recommendations of the Disciplinary Committee set up by the party’s chapter in the state.
Okorocha’s suspension which was made public on Tuesday came hours after the Imo State Government sealed his College, Rochas Foundation College, in Owerri, the state capital, over alleged conversion of public property into personal use.
The former governor’s suspension was communicated in a letter dated July 12, 2021, and signed by Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, who also serves as Chairman APC Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) and secretary of the APC caretaker committee, John Akpanudoedehe.
In the letter titled: Re: Notification of your suspension from the APC party for gross anti-party activities’, the APC leadership accused Okorocha of engaging in activities that could undermine the State Governor, Hope Uzodinma’s administration across the state.
The party further noted that the anti-party activities of the former governor were discovered to be weighty and could not be ignored by the leadership of APC considering that the 2023 general elections were around the corner.
The letter reads: “This is to communicate to you, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Party ratification of your suspension by the Imo State Chapter of our great party for anti-party activities.
“The suspension follows after the recommendation by the Imo State Disciplinary Committee set up to investigate allegations of gross anti-party activities against you which is in line with Article 21 (B) I-VI of our party’s constitution.”
According to the party, Okorocha’s continued discrete meetings with the opposition party both at state and national level; working in opposition to the APC-led government in Imo State, and flagrant public abuse on the person and office of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria (an APC-led government).
Aside from these, the party’s leadership further alleged that there were other sundry outstanding disciplinary issues which the lawmaker was yet to be cleared by the Imo APC chapter.
“The party is committed towards the sustenance of democratic virtues/integrity and as such, finds these anti-party activities weighty enough to ratify your suspension from the All Progressives Congress (APC) Party. And subsequently, the National Working Committee (NWC) shall communicate any further change on your membership status of the party”.
Meanwhile, Akpanudoehede, has debunked the claim contained in the letter, describing it as fake, and appealed to the public to disregard the letter currently in circulation, saying the letter is fake. It is not from us (APC). My signature was forged. The signature on that letter is copy and paste”.
It would be recalled that Okorocha had been at loggerheads with the incumbent governor of Imo, leading to altercations between government officials and supporters of the lawmaker.
