In a press release made avaliable to Nigerian Notch Newspaper, the special assistant media, to the former governor, Emmanuel Chukwu stated that the claim is false and does not reflect the true position of what happened in Owerri over the weekend.
The release reads thus "The attention of His Excellency, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, has been drawn to a blog, by one Emma Okeahialam, purported to be a report on the recent meeting between His Excellency and executive members on the Imo state wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by its chairman, Prince Marcelenus Nlemigbo.
His Excellency wishes to categorically state that the claims in the blog are outright falsehood and nothing but the figment of the imagination of the writer.
At no time during the meeting did the former governor say, for instance, that his planned entry into the APC will, to employ the very words in the fake news, “dislodge” other politicians in Okigwe zone.
Similarly, at no time during the meeting did His Excellency say that he was “the face of Ihedioha’s government…”
Those familiar with Dr. Ohakim’s personal political lexicon and vocabulary would attest to the fact that he is not given to hyperboles, to say nothing of employing such ordinary and pedestrian language as was used in the fake news under reference.
His Excellency enjoins the general public, both within and outside Imo state, to disregard the report in its entirety for being what it is – fake; more so as investigations have further revealed that there is no living soul known as Emma Okeahialam, the name claimed by the blogger.
Dr. Ohakim also wishes to seize this opportunity to advise Nigerians, generally, to disregard the attempt by fifth columnists to surround his political career with unnecessary speculations, controversy and outright falsehood as exemplified by the instant case.
Much as it is understandable that his political trajectory would always be of interest to many, he would leave no one in doubt if and when he decides to make a definitive partisan move.