IMO: Ohakim begs fellow gov candidates to withdraw suites against gov-elect Ihedioha

Former governor of Imo State and governorship candidate of the Accord Party (AP) in the recently concluded general elections, Ikedi Ohakim, has asked his counterparts, who have gone to court to challenge outcome of the state’s governorship election, to withdraw their suites.

Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, won the governorship poll.

But Ohakim, who was among those that contested and lost, called on those who feel aggrieved over the outcome of the polls to sheathe the sword and withdraw their petitions from the Tribunal, saying that doing so is in the best interest of the state.

Ohakim, who described Imo as a “collapsed state”, argued that litigations will only worsen things for the governor-elect who has come to salvage the rot in the state.

A statement made available to Ripples Nigeria by his chief press secretary, Collins Ughalaa, quoted Ohakim as saying this on Tuesday when he spoke at the inauguration of the 2019 Inauguration Planning and Handover Committee of the governor-elect, Ihedioha, at the New Hall of Rockview Hotel, Owerri.

“The aggrieved governorship candidates would be helping the state when they withdraw their petitions,” he said, noting that he suffered such fate when he faced 19 court cases for the period of four years he was governor, and therefore would not want Ihedioha to pass through same horrible experiences and distractions.

According to Ohakim, continuing with the court cases would be inimical to the progress of the state because “it would scare away development partners and other investors because investors do not invest where there are litigations”.

He said the numerous litigations he faced as governor was the reason the foreign partners for the refinery project located at Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area pulled out.

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“Ihedioha is coming to lead a collapsed state and therefore does not need distractions but prayers and support from all and sundry,” he said.

Ihedioha is said to have also commended Ohakim for his display of spirit of sportsmanship, assuring that Imo State will rise again under his watch.

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