The Imo East senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Alex Mbata has threatened to sue the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State if within 48 hours it does not tender unreserved apology for allegedly maligning him.
The PDP, in a statement signed by its state Publicity Secretary, Collins Opurozor, had alleged that a government white paper indicted Prince Mbata over his role when he served as Pro-Chancellor of the Imo State University, Owerri.
But a statement dated September 10 and signed by the Director General, Prince Alex Mbata Divine Movement (PAMDM), Barr. Godfrey Dikeocha denied any government white paper indicted his principal.
Dikeocha challenged the PDP and Collins Opurozor to produce such indictment within 48 hours or face legal action since it is he that alleges that has the burden of proof.
The former speaker, Imo State House of Assembly reminded the PDP and Opurozor that no white paper or panel could validly indict a person except the courts as ruled by the Supreme Court in Rotimi Amechi V Rivers State Government.
He further noted that a similar hireling who was goaded by political wayfarers to try to soil and defame the character of Prince Mbata had since realized his folly and apologized to Prince Mbata.
According to him, Prince Mbata never drew salary or enjoyed any perquisites of office throughout his tenure as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, IMSU Governing Council.
Dikeocha added that Mbata never signed or authorized the issuance of any letter terminating any NEEDS or TETFUND contract as claimed by the PDP, maintaining that such a duty is the prerogative of the organizations that awarded the contracts.
The Director-General of PAMDM stated that it has noted and will rely on the innuendo put forward by Opurozor, who compared Mbata with the notorious criminal, Lawrence Anini in seeking justice.
He maintained that unlike Mbata, the leadership of PDP in the state earned their stupendous wealth from their stay in government service as there is no evidence of engagement in any private business before their sudden wealth.
While warning that those who live in glasses must not throw stones, Dikeocha stated that Mbata is a renowned industrialist and global player in the oil and gas sector, who has not executed a single government contract.
He said; “Prince Alex Mbata stands on a higher moral ground and pedestal than all the leadership of the rebuild Imo faction of PDP.
“We wish to warn that we are in custody of verifiable facts that disclose an incident where a foremost party official of rebuild Imo faction of Imo PDP received multi millions about 2004/2005 from then Imo Government to do a study on Imo industrial clusters and he disappeared into thin air without issuing a single report!
“If we are pushed further, we shall not hesitate to release documents on this issue!”
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