2023: I Have Been Intimidated By A Government I Formed – Okorocha

The former Governor of Imo State wondered why the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) filed a corruption case on the day he officially declared his ambition to run in the 2023 presidential election.

According to Okorocha, the intimidation by the commission is to make sure that he does not run on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.

Okorocha further stated that he can not leave the party he formed with three others stating, “We are four individuals that formed the APC and a man cannot just abandon a house he has built.”

He noted that the intimidation is political, giving instances of the anti-graft agency disobeying court orders.

Okorocha in the interview with Punch said, “I do believe that this harassment and intimidation is political and to ensure that I do not run for the presidency in APC.

“Take, for instance, it was on the day of my declaration that the EFCC found it appropriate to take me to court for what they described as criminal charges. Why I believe that it is politically motivated is because I have a judgement against the same EFCC and the judgement is a result of an appeal judgement. They said they found N5.7bn in my account which the court had found to be untrue, and they (EFCC) had announced to the whole world that I took the money.

“Secondly, I have a court order stopping them from harassing me. The EFCC till today has refused to hear that court judgment and they’re holding my passport. They’ve been told to release my passport in court but they refuse to do that. I have a damage claim from them for N500m and they’ve refused to pay it, rather what they do is that for any judge that gives a judgement against them on my case, the judge is harassed. It is either they asked them to resign or change the judgement in their favour. So, it is quite strange for the EFCC to be acting as such. I’ll demand justice at the appropriate time. If you did not obey the judgement of the same court and cannot obey the law that set them up, is it until they desperately get something, even if it’s not right against me, that they will ask me to obey?

“I have suffered a lot of injustice in the hands of a government I helped to form. Secondly, I had a judgement against Oshiomhole in Imo State when he dissolved the executive illegally and handed over the main structure to the Governor of Imo State against the people that were duly elected. We went to court and got a court judgement against Oshiomhole. The same party had refused to obey the court judgement which has not been upturned by any court. The Court of Appeal upheld it and they have refused to allow the executives recognised by the party and the law to assume their position. You can see that I have the right to demand justice.”

He, however, noted that the intimidation would not stop him from contesting in the forthcoming election which has seen a lot of politicians declare their intention.