Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, on Monday denied accusing National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, of involvement in Abubakar Audu’s death.
Okorocha’s denial came via a statement signed by his Special Assistant on lnformation and Communications Technology, Ik Ogbonna.
According to him, the accusation that the Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, was behind Sunday’s death of the APC candidate in Saturday’s inconclusive governorship election in Kogi is a “tale full of thrash.”
The statement reads in part: “The story which is written in poor English purported that Gov Rochas Okorocha, the Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum, gave an interview where he accused Tinubu of being behind the death of Kogi State APC candidate, late Prince Abubakar Audu.
“Firstly, Gov. Rochas Okorocha spent the better part of yesterday, Sunday 22nd November, 2015 till about 7 pm chairing a stakeholders forum of South-East Leaders and returned to Owerri same night. It is bewildering where and when he gave the interview which trended same night on social media.
“Secondly, Prince Abubakar Audu is not yet a member of APC Governors Forum and Okorocha could not have granted the interview on that score.
“The family of Prince Abubakar Audu has not blamed anyone for the death of their son neither is Gov Okorocha a member of the Audu family.
“The story was written as an interview Governor Okorocha granted, yet no medium was mentioned. Can one grant interview to thin air?
“The purported interview is a wicked machination of people who are envious of the towering profile of Gov. Rochas Okorocha and aim at bringing him at loggerheads with leaders of the Party especially Sen. Bola Tinubu, a former Governor of Lagos State and a man Gov. Okorocha holds in very high esteem.
“It is also remarkable that the story has no source but emanated from the Facebook wall of a PDP apologist, who must have been paid by her handlers to cause disaffection within APC family.”
