Alleged $1m Imo LP Bribe: I Have No Hand in Batos Nwadike's Blackmail - Otuokere

The former Director of Protocol, Liaison Officer for Lagos and Abuja during the Ikedi Ohakim administration and former Director General of the Ikedi Ohakim Campaign Organization, Sir Austine Otuokere Esq, has distanced himself from the piece of propaganda circulating in the media, where he was wrongfully reported to have told one Batos Nwadike that Ohakim parted with $1M to the governorship candidate of the Labour Party as bribe. 

In a statement in Owerri on Sunday, Otuokere said the media reports are malicious, vexatious, and irresponsible. 

He said: "My attention has been drawn to a spurious conversation of questionable value between one Mr. Batos Nwadike and some faceless chieftain of the Labour Party in Imo State, in which my name was mentioned  and which has gone viral on the Internet.

"I have also read a rebuttal by the said Nwadike to the effect that it was all lies and not his act.

"No matter how anyone views it, the offensive and malicious piblication is mischievous and the work of an enemy. I am very sad about the use of my name in such a barbaric display."

Otuokere added that the "entire recorded conversation was built on malicious tissues of lies obviously targetted at maligning Gov. Uzodinma, Gov Ohakim, and Chief Athan Achonu. But why involve me?"

"According to him: "I am  neither the secretary nor assistant secretary of the Imo State Elders' Council as claimed in the conversation; I was neither invited nor participated in any meeting in Ohakim's house involving Chief Mgbenwelu, Chief Osita Nwaneri, Chief Ambrose Ejiogu and Dr. Maxwell Duru. I don't even know why these PDP Chieftains should be the ones Gov Uzodinma would require for such partisan political negotiations, if any,  which he could have handled directly himself. Most of these men mentioned in the recorded conversation are above 80 years old and honourable, too. They can testify that I had no such meeting with them. 

"However, on deep thought, I think I was roped in to authenticate Dr. Ohakim's involvement in the entire mischief to discredit Chief Achonu's emergence as Labour Party candidate and Gov. Uzodinma who is suitable for re-election for a second term. Of course, I have consistently been close to Ohakim as his Director of State Protocols when he was a serving  governor; as his  Liaison Officer both in Lagos and  Abuja; as his Director General in the 2019 elections; and as an addent believeer in his capacity and competence to give Imo the best leadership it should get any day. I still do believe in him if it pleases God. 

"I have no reason whatsoever to oppose the government of Governor Hope Uzodinma, not with his exceptional performance in road construction and the significant improvements in the stability of the state administration. I have reasonable access to him any day, and Dr. Ohakim supports him. 

I totally subscribe to the Imo Charter of Equity and the need to carry Owerri and Okigwe zones along in the politics of Imo state if the only cost is allowing Gov Uzodinma a second term.

"My interest in the Labour Party started and finished with Peter Obi's participation in the presidential elections of 25th February 2023. Whatever remains of that interest now lies with the Presidential Elections Tribunal. 

"I have never attended a Labour Party meeting even in my ward in Nkwerre nor any rally anywhere in Imo State. 

I have not seen Chief Athan Achonu since our condolences visit to his home with H.E. Dr Ikedi Ohakim. I have no reason to discuss Ohakim's business with Batos Nwadike, nor that of Gov Uzodinma, considering their recent estrangement.

"I have not been moblized by any Labour Party candidate financially or otherwise for support of any sort, and neither do I have any political business with Batos Nwadike and his cohorts. 

"I'm also not a member of the APC at any level. I  neither discuss their operational tactics nor need to be involved in their conspiracies. 

"I am a retired Permanent Secretary and belong to the Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries. As a body, we think that Governor Uzodinma is doing well and would keep his promise to harmonise our pensions, pay the gratuities of those owed,  and resolve the salaries of those who are wrongly termed ghost workers and pay them.

"We are happy with the involvement of retired permanent secretaries in critical commissions and are ready to bring our deep education,  knowledge, and experience to support him.

"As a practising Christian and Knight of the Church, I always pray for the governor and the government as the bible dictates. To now concoct whatever you had in your dreams and report to a third person in the guise of whistleblowing and truvro drag my name into your disgraceful conduct is to say the least uncharitable

"I was not involved in that malicious conversation, and I didn't speak to you on the issue because I knew nothing about it."