Rochas withdraws deputy's security detail over his refusal to back his son-in-law as APC candidate

GOVERNOR Rochas Okorocha has clamped down on his deputy Eze Madumere for refusing to back his son-in-law Uche Nwosu as his anointed successor by withdrawing his security personnel and staff.

Over the last month, the Imo State chapter of the APC has been torn apart as two candidates battle to be the party's candidate in next February's governorship election. Initially, primaries were conducted but the APC's national working committee (NWC) cancelled them after the two candidates declared themselves the winner.

Mr Nwosu had been Governor Okorocha's anointed successor but after the cancellation of two rounds of primaries, the APC's NWC finally submitted Senator Hope Uzodinma's name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) as its gubernatorial candidate. It is believed that Mr Madumere is backing this decision, which has attracted the ire of Governor Okorocha.

Following the development, Mr Madumere condemned the decision of the governor, describing it as an unwarranted action. He said a government memo conveyed to him that 12 members of staff were posted out of his office, eight of them being operational staff and drivers while the others were administrative staff, including data processing personnel.

A spokesman for Mr Madumere said: “We recall that during the series of impeachment plots to remove the deputy governor, we raised the alarm over the grand plan to harm Prince Madumere following his stance against imposition of governor’s son-in-law, Mr Uche Nwosu and other irreconcilable issues that bordered on policies. We also recall how some members of the domestic staff of the deputy governor were approached to be used as agents of death to poison the deputy governor.

“Therefore, Office of the Deputy Governor regrets the tyrannical model of governance approach of the government even in a democracy, where people’s opinion or freedom of speech, association and other fundamental rights are not respected. It is also regrettable to note that Imo State government should throw caution to the wind by flagrantly refusing to observe ethics, values and respect for the hierarchy of office in an established organisation as a government to the extent where the opinion of the deputy governor is not sought before an issue as sensitive as posting out staff from the office of the deputy governor by the head of service.

“We wish to state categorically that the sudden posting of the operational staff of the office of the deputy governor is a careful plot to compromise the security of Prince Eze Madumere. We therefore view the whole actions and inactions of the government of Imo State as wholly suspicious and a well-known old preparatory gimmicks before high profile heinous crimes like assassinations are committed.”

He added that they have notified the inspector-general of police, the Imo State police commissioner and other security agencies to take note of the suspicious actions and inactions of the Imo State government led by Governor Okorocha. Mr Nwosu has meanwhile refused to accept the decision of the APC's NWC, claiming that he is still the bonafide gubernatorial candidate.