Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Candidate in Imo State and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha has challenged the governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha to stop being smart-by-half and address critical issues in his inquiry and publish full details of the State’s finances and the reports of SURE-P, NDDC and River Basin Authority for Imolites to know who truly allocated or applied public funds in the interest of the people.
In a statement signed by the Media Assistant to Chief Ihedioha, Mr Chibuike Onyeukwu, to a reaction by the governor which questioned the role of the former Speaker in the application of funds of those agencies, Rt. Hon. Ihedioha said Governor Okorocha has once again displayed crass ignorance of the roles various arms of government are meant to play in a constitutional democracy.
He said the governor should not seek to divert public attention and sweep under the carpet, issues of gross lack of accountability and transparency that have marred his administration and personal lifestyle with regards to his multi-billion naira Spibat Estate in Owerri, private jets and other choice properties acquired by Okorocha upon assumption of office in 2011.
With specific regards to the government agencies mentioned by the governor through one of his aides, Ihedioha challenged the governor to “please go ahead and publish the records of funds and projects by these agencies in juxtaposition to his stewardship in the state so that Imo people can know who truly have their interests at heart and who indeed stole and misapplied public funds meant to improve their lives.”
The statement wondered how a legitimate and simple request which indeed is the demand of Imolites that he should make public, account details of the state, return looted funds and bail out our people from the famine he has inflicted on them turned to an insult. He reminded Okorocha that, “your refusal yet again, to declare our state of finances to the electorates is the height of arrogance and insult against the owners of the commonwealth.
“If the governor fails to publish the reports to confirm the dubious and spurious allegations he has raised, then he should quietly contemplate how he intends to face Imo people on questions of his crass insensitivity, ineptitude, transparency and accountability that have brought untold hardship and anger on the people across board, which obviously has exposed innocent Imolites to increased crime and insecurity” the statement said.
On the issue of performance, Ihedioha who is also a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives challenged the governor to publish his economic blueprint for the state; particularly the road map to his not only deceitful but indeed embarrassing mantra of, “jab jab jab, factory factory factory, industry industry etc, insisting that with the level of cluenessness, deceit and fraud that have characterised his government and which no doubt resulted to the colossal failure of his administration since 2011, the state and her citizens would only be more impoverished as it has become glaring that he still has nothing to offer.
