APC denies suspending Okorocha, says signatures inside letter were forged

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/ Extraodinary Convention Planning Committee has denied suspending former Imo State governor and senator representing Imo West, Rochas Okorocha.

On Tuesday night, a letter purportedly signed by Governor Mai Mala Buni and Senator James Akpanudoedehe, Chairman and national secretary respectively, had announced indefinite suspension of Senator Okorocha. He was accused of gross misconduct and anti-party activities.

National Secretary of the party however denied knowledge of the suspension of Okorocha who has been embroiled in power tussle with his home state governor, Hope Uzodimma, for the control of the party structures.

Senator Akpanudoede told Tribune Online that the document in circulation was forged.

“My signature was copied and pasted, ” he told Tribune Online.

Okorocha and certain chieftains of the party in Imo State visited the party national secretariat last week to demand for the dissolution of the Careraker Committee in the state and insisted that Dan Nwafor who was last November pronounced by a Court of Appeal be reinstated and saddled with the responsibility of conducting fresh congresses and the membership registration and revalidation exercise extended by two weeks in Imo State by the APC Careraker and Extraodinary Convention Planning Committee.

Accompanied by Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, Dan Nwafor, Dr. Chidinma Uwajimogu, Mr Steve Asimobi, Uche Nwosu, among other members of his Imo APC Pioneer Group, the former governor insisted that only ward, local and state congresses supervised by Dan Nwafor would be accorded recognition by the group.

In a related development, Ifeanyi Araraume has denied claim that he has dumped the ruling party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

A statement signed by Mr Stanley Nzekwe, a member of Araraume Destiny Organisation, maintained that those behind Araraume’s defection rumour are political enemies who are threatened by his weight and influence in Imo State politics.

The group said Araraume would never leave APC because “he is one of the pioneer members and builders of the Party in Imo State.”