From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
A former House of Representatives member, Linus Okorie, has denied claims that he plans to dump the Labour Party (LP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC), contrary to insinuations.
Okorie, who represented Ohaozara, Onicha, and Ivo federal constituency in Ebonyi State for two tenures, was reacting to an interview granted to journalists in Ikwo Local Government Area by the state APC Chairman, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha, who recently claimed that Okorie was planning to join the party alongside other opposition party chieftains in the state.
Okorie said he has been inundated with calls regarding Emegha’s interview and stated that he has never spoken with him about any plan to dump the Labour Party, describing the APC chairman’s claim as propaganda and falsehood.
“When propaganda loses its grip on the people, its purveyors descend into desperation. That desperation was on full display in a recent article by Everyday News Nigeria, dated June 4, 2025, which falsely claims that I, along with other respected opposition leaders, am preparing to join the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ebonyi State.
“Let me be clear, especially to all those who have inundated me with inquiries and concern, that this is a lie, a deliberate fabrication. It is a psychological ploy to confuse and demoralise Ebonyians.
“For the record, I have never met, spoken with, nor entertained any political conversation, formal or informal, with the Ebonyi State APC Chairman, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha. I have not hosted him, been hosted by him, or shared a conversation of any kind with him. There is no plan, consideration, or desire on my part to join the APC.
“Chief Emegha’s statement is not just false; it is an assault on the sensibilities of Ebonyians, a people who have endured untold hardship since 2015 under the misgovernance of the APC. Hunger, economic hardship, insecurity, corruption, and state-sponsored oppression have become the norm under their watch.
“It is now abundantly clear that, shocked that the people have remained focused, unyielding, and OBIdient, despite serial defections of self-styled political heavyweights, the APC resorts to name-dropping, misinformation, and false flag operations to shore up its daily crumbling image. Even at that, I genuinely worry about the state of mind that can so cleverly fabricate and spread such falsehood without the slightest remorse.
“The inclusion of my name, alongside those of Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii (Anyichuks), Prof. Bernard Odoh, and Senator Emmanuel Onwe, in their so-called defection list, is not only fictitious but an insult to the intelligence of the Ebonyi polity who know where I, and the others mentioned, stand,” he said.
Okorie, who was the Labour Party House of Representatives candidate for Ohaozara, Onicha, and Ivo federal constituency in 2023, stated that he remains a party member and is committed to building a credible political movement that will usher in real change in the country.
“I remain OBIdient and committed to building a credible, people-driven political movement that will deliver real change in Nigeria. My mission is not self-serving; it is rooted in justice, competence, and genuine democratic renewal.
“If Chief Emegha owes me anything at all, it is a public apology for the infamous role he played during the previous administration of Governor David Umahi, where he operated as both APC Chairman and Special Adviser on Internal Security, a dual role that became a channel of persecution, violation of human rights, and suppression of opposition voices, mine included.
“To the good people of Ebonyi, I urge you to ignore these baseless and worn-out propaganda stunts. This is the season of political decoys, and deception will become more frequent as 2027 draws near. But the truth will stand. The future is not with failed systems trying to rebrand themselves by dragging credible names into their sinking ship.
“The APC is not, and will not be, a platform for the kind of future we seek. It is not the vehicle for Nigeria’s rebirth, certainly not for the actualisation of a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction. That vision and pathway lie elsewhere, and we are building it: organically, credibly, and decisively. The APC has nothing, absolutely no plan, to emancipate Ndigbo whose votes they relentlessly plot to steal in 2027,” he said.