'It is false' - Gov Uzodinma issues terse statement after PDP accuses him of blocking Tinubu from releasing Kanu

Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma has rebuffed wild allegations that he stopped President Bola Tinubu from facilitating the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

The Governor who is seeking re-election in Saturday's election has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of using the story as a form of blackmail ahead of the polls.

He said in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Public Communications, Collins Ughalaa that the largest opposition party in the polls has resorted to blackmail due to their realization that they might lose the upcoming governorship election.

He maintained that the story of him preventing Tinubu from facilitating Kanu’s release is entirely false.

The statement reads in part: “We know that the disgruntled opposition party can do anything, including supporting or sponsoring terror in the state, but we thought the party still had some shame. However, the recent desperation to blackmail Governor Hope Uzodinma with the fake story that the governor is blocking the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu shows that the party is capable of doing any evil without scruples.

“In a fake story titled: ‘Uzodinma blocking the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu – Tinubu,’ and being circulated by the PDP and their agents, the party falsely accused the governor of blocking the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

“The story is false in its entirety. Not only did President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not make the statement they falsely credited to him, the governor never made any move to block Kanu’s release, nor did he reach out to the President not to release Kanu. There is no reason for such a move whatsoever.”

Reports had claimed that Tinubu accused Uzodinma of stopping him from facilitating Kanu’s release during a meeting with Igbo businessmen in Abuja on Monday.

However, the presidency had denied such reports, stressing that Tinubu never made such a remark.

NBA