Imo PDP should accept defeat like Jonathan – Okorocha

The Imo State Governor and candidate of
the All Progressives Congress (APC), Rochas
Okorocha, has urged the leaders of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state
to exhibit the spirit of sportsmanship by
accepting defeat as was done by President
Goodluck Jonathan. He said there was no
way the party could win the gubernatorial
elections.
Okorocha, who stated this on tuesday, in the
Government House, Owerri, while
addressing a world press conference,
maintained that it was common knowledge
that the APC had won the election, and
urged the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) to declare the winner.
He pointed out that the strategy employed
in Rivers State by the PDP was the same in
Imo State but that the people of the state
simply resisted the alleged manipulation and
gave his party, the APC massive support.
The governor noted that, with the
advantage of about 70, 000 votes over the
PDP, the APC will still win even if the INEC
wants a supplementary poll, stressing that
his victory could only be delayed but not
denied.
“ It is common knowledge that the APC has
already won the elections and INEC should
have declared the winner of the
governorship elections by now.
“We won in 20 local governments and
already, have an advantage of 79, 000
votes over the PDP and even if INEC has
declared the elections inconclusive, I am
ready to contest the supplementary election
because there is no way the PDP can win
the elections, and I am certain that if
the PDP had won in 20 local governments
they would have been declared the winner,”
he said.
Governor Okorocha urged the leaders of
the PDP in the state to emulate President
Goodluck Jonathan, “who conceded defeat
when he saw that it was obvious that he
has lost the presidential elections to
General Muhammadu Buhari, because our
victory can only be delayed and not
denied,” adding: “ Imo people believed in
the rescue mission and that was why they
massively supported the APC, which has
today, taken over reign of government in
the centre and in 19 states.”
However, he appealed to the people of the
state to remain calm, as nothing would
change the hard won victory of the party.