GOVERNOR Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has urged politicians not to use religion to destabilize the country, even as he dismissed allegation that he converted some Christians to Muslims.

The governor, who spoke during a political debate organized by the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Imo State Chapter at Lifeline Assembly, Owerri, condemned the recent attack on him by a Catholic leader, alleging that he converted some Christians to Islamic religion.

Okorocha, who described himself as a devoted Christian, pointed out that he assisted in the building of the National Worship Centre in Abuja, and wondered why opposition parties should level such allegation against him.

Governor Okorocha described the allegation as falsehood concocted to cause problem between him and the Catholic Church and challenged the opposition to provide the video clip where such event took place in Abuja.

He made it clear that he had no hand in such act and urged Imo indigenes to disregard the rumour, stressing that his administration was anchored on God who had been his source of strength.

Governor Okorocha said he contested for the governorship position in 2011 to liberate Imo indigenes from poverty and bondage; noting that his administration had transformed the state with massive infrastructural development.

He assured of the determination of his administration to eradicate poverty in the state through massive industrialization despite the criticism by the opposition parties.

In his speech, Chairman of PFN, Bishop Maxwell Korie, said the purpose of the debate was to enable members of PFN to know the programmes and projects of all the governorship candidates in the state and to pray for them.