The Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma has denied being arrested by the Special Presidential Investigation Panel For Recovery of Public Property.
Recall that reports had emerged that the serving senator representing Imo-West was on Sunday arrested at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, over an alleged breach of contract worth about $12m.
Uzodinma, in a statement signed by the Director of Media and Special Duties of the Hope Uzodinma Campaign Organization, Declan Emelumba, said the mischievous reports were the handiwork of the State Governor, Rochas Okorocha who wants to tarnish his image.
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“The report was planted by Okorocha and his cohorts out of their desperation to tarnish the image of the distinguished senator before the Imo electorate who are poised to vote for him in 2019.
“Okorocha has refused to come to grips with the reality that his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, will not be his successor in 2019, and that he is, therefore, out to damage APC and its governorship candidate in Imo State.
“If there was any arrest, is it not the press department of the panel that will issue such a statement to the entire media.
“It is very obvious that Okorocha and his people are behind this evil story. They have planned so much against the APC governorship candidate, from the phoney dud cheque issue to a non-existent non-assets declaration charge.
“Their latest plot is this Calabar dredging contract. However, they should know that the company handling the Calabar dredging contract is Calabar Channels Management Company in which the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has 60% equity shares.
“So, if there is anybody to be arrested for anything, then it is the Managing Director of NPA and not a minority partner, Niger Global, in which Uzodinma is a shareholder.
“The fact that simultaneously as they planted the Punch online story, their own so-called state publicity secretary of APC Imo State, Onwuasonya FCC Jones, issued a press release celebrating the false arrest, shows clearly that they are behind the whole plot,” the statement read.
But contrary to the Senator’s recent claims, the Chairman of the panel, Obono-Obla had on Monday confirmed Uzodinma was arrested and released on Sunday on “humanitarian grounds” on the condition that he would return to the panel for questioning on Monday.
He said Uzodinma further pleaded with the panel that he will appear before them on Tuesday, November 13, 2018.
“This is the message from the Director of Operations of the Panel, DCP Tahir Usman, to me: ‘Good day sir, Hope Uzodimma called to apologise and said he would like to come tomorrow (Tuesday) due to his BP (Blood Pressure), Sir.’
“We released him on bail last night (Sunday) on humanitarian ground and asked him to report back today (Monday) at 10 am.
“When he didn’t come, my operatives laid siege to his residence, then he pleaded with us to allow him to see his doctor and report tomorrow (Tuesday).
“We are determined and unrelenting to get into the matter. The Calabar channel dredging project has been a conduit through which huge sums of money have been diverted,” Obono-Obla said.