Imo guber: Okorocha denies offering $2m bribe to Gulak

A former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has denied allegations that he offered $2 million to the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s governorship primary election, Ahmed Gulak, in order to return his son in-law, Ugwumba Uche Nwosu, as the candidate for the election.

Okorocha said that the allegation, coming two years after the primary election, showed that Gulak was specifically sent to destroy the party in the state.

The former governor, in a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Sam Onwuemeodo, wondered why the same Gulak, who disappeared from his hotel room and ran away to Abuja claiming that his life was in danger, could turn around to make such a malicious claim.

He said: “This same Ahmed Gulak had claimed at a Press Conference in Abuja on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 that he absconded from his room 701, at Rockview Hotel, Owerri, by 4am that day because agents of the former governor had wanted to kidnap him.

“He ran away, leaving other members of the Committee behind. And that was the day the Primary would have held after he had announced that, Monday, October 1, 2018 being the actual date for the Primary, was no more feasible because he arrived Owerri at 2pm, met with stakeholders at 8pm at Police Headquarters Owerri, which lasted till 11:35pm. And he went on courtesy call to the then governor with his team at 11:58pm. And the Courtesy call lingered till 1am. They went back to their hotel, only for him to abscond at 4am, by his own account. And that was the genesis of Imo APC problem. So, at what point was the bribe given?

“At his Press Conference too, he declared someone winner of a primary he never conducted and the person happens to be Chief Hope Uzodinma.

“The rest of the team, led by the committee’s Secretary, Barr. Henry Idahagbon, stayed behind and conducted the primary which Uche Nwosu won.

“And after that, the National Chairman of the Party, Chief Adams Oshiomhole disbanded the Gulak committee, having heard and known the disgraceful script he (Gulak) had acted in Owerri. Then, why was his committee disbanded? However, at the end of the day, the party leadership settled for Chief Uzodinma, prompting Nwosu to settle for the ticket of Action Alliance, AA.

“And now Gulak waited till more than a year after the ugly incident to come up with his fictitious claim of two million dollars bribe after he had claimed that he flee Owerri over kidnap attempt.

The statement added, “The truth is that Alhaji Gulak was sent to Owerri to ensure the destruction of APC in Imo and by extension, in the South-East.”