Okorocha Denies Barring Uzodinma From Using Stadium For Campaign

Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has denied the claim by Imo State All Progressives Congress (APC), gubernatorial candidate, Senator Hope Uzodinma, that he denied him access to the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri, for yesterday’s flag-off of his campaign.

Uzodinma, who spoke through his campaign official, Kingsley Ononuju, had accused Okorocha of denying the party access to the stadium even after going through the due process of applying. Rather, Okorocha insisted that he directed officials’ in charge of the stadium to grant it free-of-charge to candidates of all political parties who wished to use the facility for campaign purposes.

A statement issued by Okorocha’s Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, quoted the governor as saying: “We have heard the false claim by Uzodinma, the Adams Oshiomhole’s preferred governorship Candidate in Imo State, that he asked for the Dan Anyiam Stadium for his campaign, but the government denied him access to the stadium.

“For those who know Uzodinma very well, they won’t be surprised that he could come up with this false claim on the issue. Only men like Oshiomhole would believe him.“Since Okorocha became governor in 2011, the Dan Anyiam Stadium has always been made available for all political parties and their candidates irrespective of political affiliations.”

The statement noted that the facility is the property of Imo people, adding that Uzodinma could not have been denied access to it.“He never applied to use the stadium, especially when a press release had been issued days before the flag-off of his campaign that the governor had directed that the stadium should be released free to political parties and candidates who would like to use it for their rallies or other political activities,” the statement added.