The Imo State has dismissed the claim made yesterday by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that Governor Rochas Okorocha is training a Boko Haram squad for the 2015 election.

A Government House statement made available to News Express by e-mail described the allegation by Imo PDP Secretary, Sir George Egu, as “totally false” and “baseless.”

Egu had at a press conference in Owerri identified the Imo College of Advanced Professional Studies (ICAPS) as the place where the alleged Boko Haramists are being trained.

But, according to the Imo State Government, “The allegation is totally false and has no iota of truth. It can only be seen as another desperate ploy by the PDP in the state to create room to cause mayhem in the state. Otherwise, the party would not have chosen to be petty on a very sensitive issue like Boko Haram. In a serious nation where things work out fine, whoever made the allegation should have been under interrogation by now.

“If the Imo PDP had seen where the Boko Haram elements were being trained as they claimed, and had reported to the security agencies like the party also claimed, was it not proper for the party to wait for the outcome of the actions of the security agencies?

“The truth of the matter is that the Imo PDP’s allegation is not unconnected with the plan of the party to import thugs to the state. But Imo people will resist any attempt by the Imo PDP or any other group to cause trouble in the state. The party has always come up with such baseless allegation.

“The ICAPS building where the Imo PDP alleged the Boko Haram people were is about five poles from a very major and busy road in Owerri, the state capital, and it is unbelievable that any government or group could keep Boko Haramists in such an open place. And all these show the extent the Imo PDP can go to tell lies against the government of Owelle Rochas Okorocha.

It is also to be understood that Imo PDP cannot fault the Owelle government on issues of projects, prudence, management, accountability, peace, security and so on, and has therefore resorted to crying wolves where there was none.

“The State has remained peaceful since Okorocha became governor, unlike what was the case in recent past. So, the allegation by the PDP could not be unconnected to the long-time plan of the party to import thugs into the state to cause trouble. But Imo people are ever ready to resist them.”

•Photo shows some Boko Haram fighters. Okorocha has denied having anything to do with the terrorist group.

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