By Onyekachi Eze
Immediate past governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha has accused his successor, Emeka Ihedioha of plots to divert the alleged forty two billion naira (42,000,000,000) he left in the State coffers for him, saying all his make up stories were antics to “chop” the said whooping sum.
It would be recalled that 2 days to the expiration of Okorocha’s Rescue Mission administration in Imo, he made a public disclosure of leaving about #42.5bn for Ihedioha as a take- off money.
Even though Okorocha had itemized things meant for the said money, Ihedioha in his own response made it clear that his predecessor left nothing in the State’s coffers, rather left him with hundreds of billions in debts and liabilities.
Against this backdrop, a press release signed by the media aide to the outgone governor, Sam Onwuemeodo, obtained by Trumpeta Newspaper, he said Ihedioha is on a vendetta mission against the past regime.
Owelle Okorocha posited that all the derogatory statements and remarks about the Rescue Mission government were all prelude to squandering the #42.5bn he handed over to him, stressing that such moves had been a trademark of the PDP.
Part of the press statement said, “From all indications, Chief Ihedioha has no programme for Imo people. He appears stranded since May 29, 2019 when he took over. That is why, he has never made any policy statement or any comment associated with governance. He has been threatening fire and brimstone and trying to incite Imo people against Okorocha but has met brickwall”.
“We want to say again that the Government House Okorocha handed over to Governor Ihedioha was brand new with Ultra-modern structures, unlike the ghetto the PDP administrations for twelve years had operated from”.
Continuing, he said, “Chief Ihedioha should also appreciate the fact that he is a civilian governor and not a military administrator. He should minimize his rate of giving ultimatums and issuing threats. He is also fond of saying “I” will do this. “I” will do that. The government is not his private property. He should be advised on certain democratic ethos”.
“Once again, Okorocha’s achievements have obviously given the new governor sleepless nights but he should bear with the situation with high sense of patriotism and responsibility, instead of embarking on microphone attacks against the man who handed over to him”.
In a related development, Chief Emeka Ihedioha had said that anyone that looted or mismanaged the State money must give account for it or be ready to dance the “surugede” dance.
Speaking in a government function recently, the newly sworn in governor reiterated his readiness to bring to book looters of the State treasury.
He said as a law abiding citizen, he would employ the services of the anti graft agencies in recovering all looted accounts belonging to the State, no matter whose ox was gored.
He further averred that no one with a dent or hands in the embezzlement of the State fund would go unpunished, hence urged anyone affected to either surrender all he/she misappropriated or face the law.
The Imo first citizen maintained that nothing has been handed over to him yet, promising not to leave any stone unturned in liberating the State from its poorly managed state.
