The opposition kicking against the second missionary journey of the Imo state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha is growing daily with one of his former associates and ex-commissioner, Chief, Sir, Chris Ejike Uche joining the cue to assert that Government House, Owerri, will not habour the present governor beyond 2015 general election.
Ejike Uche who was Okorocha’s first Commissioner for Housing and later Public Utilities came hard on his former political soul mate who he assisted to become governor, stating that he is not worthy enough to get a return ticket to Douglas House, seat of power in the State.
In an exclusive interview with Trumpeta, Ejike Uche who is the national Deputy Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA and popularly known as “Dimkpa Asaa” said that Okorocha lacks the capacity to lead Imo again taking into consideration his pattern and style of governance.
While apologizing to Imo people that Okorocha rode on the back of his party to gain the governorship seat of the state, Dimkpa Asaa who disassociated himself of some alleged illicit affairs committed during the early stages of the regime, said that the governor is merely grandstanding with white elephant projects that does not have meaningful effects on the lives of the people.
“What you have is Heroes Square, Freedom Square and other forms of squares in all parts of the state. Of what importance are these squares to an unemployed graduate? What is the benefit of the squares to the people at the grassroots? How many times do people go there if not for the elites who are opportune? What we expect are industries and job opportunities not his so called five-star Princes, Akachi and Crystal hotels we are yet to see. He is claiming to be the next Mbakwe when he has no industry to show but Mbakwe built Avutu Poultry, Shoe Industry, Amaraku Power Station, etc. His projects are phony projects meant to deceive the people of the state what you have are roundabouts and Moslem like houses that are not common to us and only fanciful to people from the North. Our people are not thrilled by roundabouts or these bogus buildings. An average Akara seller on the streets is enlightened and knows what is happening in the state to be deceived by these mockery called dividends of democracy Owelle is given to Imolites”
On free education, Chief Ejike Uche noted that the federal government runs free education from primary to junior secondary adding that what Okorocha is doing is unnecessary duplication and waste of public fund on unwarranted frivolities.
He said that for dumping APGA for APC and declaring the party that gave him the mandate to govern Imo a cultural organization, APGA is poised to collect their mandate back from Okorocha.
Said he “the battle to take back our mandate is on. Despite the change of party leadership via the recent Federal High Court, Abuja, order sacking Umeh led executive, the party is still on with the case against Okorocha and will carry it to logical end. We shall collect our mandate from him using legal approach?”
Speaking on reasons why he was dropped from the executive council, Dimkpa Asaa revealed that his decision alongside other exposed and experienced appointees in the cabinet to be upright and involve due process in governance was in contrast to Okorocha’s style of government which he wanted us to imbibe without resistance.
“There was no problem only that we tried to correct ills and avoid unnecessary pitfalls noticed in government. We did not know that His Excellency felt bad and worried about out stand. That was why he pushed the experienced ones among us in that cabinet out and chose only those he will tutor and coarse into accepting whatever he says and wishes. Again, I was against using Agenda structure to torpedo APGA structure at all levels in Imo. I thought he would build APGA but later discovered he was building Agenda structure with his Agenda people. These issues forced him to push me and others away to have his way”.
Reacting on the allegation earlier carried by the newspaper that Okorocha starves his appointees of relevant payments and severance packages as he meted to ex-appointees of his immediate successor, Dimkpa Asaa has this to say; “Yes, I am yet to receive my severance allowance, several months after serving his regime. When I applied for the payment, the SSG issued me a letter requesting me to bring back my official vehicle, the Prado Jeep, before I will be paid the severance. I complied and returned it to them, but that was the end. I was tricked to return the vehicle in reply to the governor order but no severance. I am not worried about it though it is my constitutional right and entitlement but one fact is obvious, Owelle is not owing me, rather Imo state government, one day he will go, a new government will pay”
Full details of the interview in next edition.
