Rochas Okorocha asked to appear before APC disciplinary committee in Owerri today

GOVERNOR Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has been summoned to appear before the disciplinary committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to answer charges of anti-party activities relating to his son-in-law's gubernatorial ambitions.

Uche Nwosu, Governor Okorocha's son-in-law and anointed successor, was purportedly elected at the APC convention as its gubernatorial candidate but the party submitted the name of his rival Senator Hope Uzodinma to the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec). This prompted Mr Nwosu to quit the APC and stand as the Action Alliance (AA) candidate with the full backing of the governor.

Over the last few weeks, the political atmosphere in Owerri has been tense as Governor Okorocha has backed Mr Nwosu and refused Senator Uzodinma the use of state facilities to campaign. Despite numerous appeals, the matter came to a head over the weekend at a rally attended by the wife of the vice president Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo.

At the event, Governor Okorocha boasted that Mr Nwosu will win the governorship elections in the state ahead of the official APC candidate. Mrs Osinbajo and other APC leaders who came from the five states of the southeast were angered by the governor’s comments, forcing them to leave the stadium.

In what now appears to be a sign that the APC is tired of the governor's antics, he and six others have been instructed to appear before the party's disciplinary committee. These others include the party’s candidate for Imo East Senatorial District Emma Ojinere, House of Representatives candidate for Ezinihitte Mbaise/Ahiazu Mbaise Federal Constituency Rapheal Igbokwe, Ehime Mbano/IhitteUboma/Obowo Federal Constituency candidate Chike Okafor, deputy speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly Ugonna Ozuruigbo,  Eddy Iheanacho and a former gubernatorial aspirant Obinna Mbata.

According to the invitation letter signed by the disciplinary committee chairman Matthew Omegara and its secretary Kevin Ugwu, the affected APC stalwarts were invited for questioning into what is described as ugly activities. They are due to appear before the panel today in Owerri and the outcome of the probe would be made public after investigations are completed.