Hope Uzodinma Can Do Anything To Get Power — Okorocha

Former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has accused his successor, Hope Uzodinma, of being desperate for political power, alleging that he could do anything to retain control.

Okorocha made the allegation during an interview on Arise Prime Time, where he criticised Uzodinma’s political ambitions and accused him of prioritising power over the welfare of the people of Imo State.

According to the former governor, Uzodinma’s ambition has made him pursue several political positions and leadership roles at the expense of effective governance.

“There is only one problem in the South-East, and that is Hope,” Okorocha said.

He urged the governor to concentrate on governing Imo State rather than pursuing multiple political ambitions.

“Sit down, govern for God. Sit down and govern your people,” he said.

Okorocha further alleged that Uzodinma was excessively aggressive in his pursuit of power, claiming that the governor would rather sacrifice the interests of the people than relinquish political control.

“If you ask Hope, ‘Let’s get rid of one million Imolites so that you may have power, or get rid of your power and keep one Imolite’, you would hear him say, ‘Let one million Imolites go. Let me keep my power’,” he said.

The former governor also alleged that he had suffered humiliation and faced threats under Uzodinma’s administration.

He recounted an incident in which he claimed armed men opened fire at a hotel belonging to his wife, alleging that his in-law was shot in the leg and subsequently spent eight months in the United States receiving treatment.

Okorocha also made allegations concerning the treatment of other political figures in Imo State, claiming that incidents of violence and intimidation had occurred under the current administration.

The allegations could not be independently verified from the interview excerpt provided.

Uzodinma’s response to the allegations was not included in the material available for this report.

LEADERSHIP had previously reported that the Federal High Court in Abuja sacked Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma as the Imo West senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 general elections and replaced him with Rochas Okorocha.

In a judgement on Thursday, Judge Obiora Egwuatu ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to publish the name of Mr Okorocha, a former governor of the state who was previously elected to represent the district in the Nigerian Senate, as the validly nominated candidate of the APC for the upcoming senatorial election.

The judge directed Mr Uzodimma, chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, a peer-review group of APC governors, to stop parading himself as the APC candidate for the 16 January 2027 election.

The judge likewise ordered the APC to forward Mr Okorocha’s name as candidate of the party for the 2027 general elections for Imo West Senatorial District.