The All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA Imo State Chapter has sent a warning signal to the Agbaso family to stop blackmailing the Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha over the N458m JPross contract which consumed the former Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso, or “will not hesitate to wield the big stick”.
In a release signed by the factional chairman of the party, Prince Marshal Okaforanyanwu, the party said that it was Jude Agbaso, as the former Commissioner for Works who confused the Governor to authorize the release of the contract sum to the JPross Construction Company.
Okaforanyanwu disclosed that it was the responsibility of Jude Agbaso as the Commissioner for Works, to clarify completed jobs and ensure compliance before forwarding memo to the Governor to release funds.
“With his additional position as Commissioner for Works a position he occupied for about 20 months and defended before the State Executive Council, Sir Jude Agbaso interfaced between Government and Contractors”. Okaforanyanwu said.
The party boss maintained that “It was a responsibility rested on his shoulders to certify jobs and ensure compliance to due process before advancing memo for payment to the Governor”, he said.
APGA said the Senior Agbaso, Martin was over ambitious and dreamt that him and his brother alone can determine who becomes the Governor of Imo State in 2015, pointing out that he should blame his greed, and not Governor Okorocha, for his brother’s fall.
He said that at no time did Okorocha enter any agreement to hand over the Leadership of Imo State to Martin Agbaso in 2015.
“How could two men appropriate the Governorship of Imo State with a teeming population of over 5 million people?” Okaforanyanwu asked, adding that Okorocha had a clear control of 98% of APGA party structure prior to the 2011 guber election, and therefore could not have negotiated any agreement with Martin Agbaso.
APGA confirmed that Chief Martin Agbaso because of his greed and over ambition plotted to impeach Gov Okorocha, and replace him with his younger brother, Jude Agbaso.
“Chief Martin Agbaso fervently plotted the down-fall of Gov Okorocha, but when the coup leaked, Chief Agbaso rushed to Government House and apologized to the Governor” APGA claimed.
The Party agreed that on the inception of the Okorocha administration in 2011, it contracted its Internally Generated Revenue to Chief Martin Agbaso’s Company, but within 6 months there was a discovery of fraud, through which the company was milking Imo dry, and the matter was presented to the State Executive Council, which Sir Jude Agbaso was a member, and it was unanimously agreed “in the over all interest of the state to block the revenue leakage fraudulently opened by Chief Agbaso’s Company”.
However, when Trumpeta sought the views of the Agbasos, their media consult said that Okorocha and his cohorts are trying to wriggle out from a tight corner, and has no comment on the issue since his clients are in court over the matter.
“Now talking about APGA. Why should I reply to a statement by APGA about Gov Okorocha. Is he still a member of APGA, or is the party playing a devil’s advocate for non member?” the source asked Trumpeta
