Should the words of Imo State Governor, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha on recovery of assets and monies in the custody of the past administration be considered concrete, Chief Uche Nwosu the son in-law to ex-governor Rochas Okorocha may be probe for activities related to his former position as Chief of Staff.
Indications that instituting a probe against Nwosu, who incidentally contested the governorship seat under AA, may come up from the Ihedioha government manifested last Friday when an Owerri Court discharged Watchdog Newspaper publisher, Comrade Precious Nwadike of any offence in the report of the Bailout fund for Imo.
It would be recalled that Watchdog had in late 2015 carried a story alleging that domestic staff in Nwosu’s house bolted away with huge sum. The newspaper in the report also claimed that part of what the domestic staff may have carted away would be the Imo State bailout fund.
In view of Ihedioha’s vow to probe how finances of the state were managed in the past years. Indications are high that Nwosu won’t escape probe over the bailout issue.
The Publisher of the Owerri based tabloid, Comrade Precious Nwadike has opened up on what he went through in the past three years over the Imo Bailout Fund story.
The Magistrate court sitting in Owerri, presided over by his worship, Barr Obinna Njemanze on Friday July 19, 2019 discharged the publisher of Watchdog Newspaper, Comrade Precious Nwadike of a 7- count charge.
The case which lingered for four years was instituted at the instance of Mr Uche Nwosu who petitioned the then commissioner of Police, Mr Lakanu in 2015 after the Watchdog Newspaper publication revealing how a cook attached to Nwosu allegedly disappeared with huge sum of money while he(Nwosu) was away in United Kingdom with family members. At that time, Nwosu was the Chief of Staff to his Father-Inlaw, Chief Rochas Okorocha.
Addressing newsmen after the verdict, Comrade Precious Nwadike expressed happiness that he is free at last.”We have gone through hell. They used public fund to fight us with determination to jail us but God never allowed their evil plans. I am grateful to everyone who stood by us, especially some of our colleagues and political leaders. It is sad that Governor Rochas Okorocha’s era did everything to gag the press but we resisted him because our job is legitimate and provided for in section 22 of 1999 constitution”, Nwadike averred.
Similarly, the counsel to Nwadike, Barr A.I Nwachukwu maintained that his client had only discharged his duty as a journalist and should not have gone through the torture he went through for almost four years.
The court was on that day filled to the brim as majority of Imo youths, Journalists, political associates turned out in solidarity to Comrade Precious Nwadike.
However, drama ensued when Uche Nwosu’s lawyer, Barr Eddy Onyema started reading out a decided case even after magistrate had discharged Comrade Nwadike Precious of the 7 count charges.
With the development, it is speculated that the government of Governor Emeka Ihedioha may begin the probe of the bailout fund to which Uche Nwosu was the Chairman of the disbursement committee.
Meanwhile, according to a report by Imo State House of Assembly correspondent, Sam Ibezim, Hon. Uju Onwudiwe, member representing Njaba State Constituency at the Imo State House of Assembly, has asked Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Imo State governor, to concentrate in his claimed mantra of rebuilding the state and not in the distraction of pushing strongly to probe only Rochas Okorocha, Imo State immediate past governor, whose administration lasted from 2011 to 2019. Rather, he should probe from year 1999 if sincere in scrutinizing the activities of past administrations.
The female ranking lawmaker from Action Alliance, AA party, stated this in an interview with Trumpeta on Thursday, July 18 at Ahiajoku center Owerri, shortly after Rt. Hon. Ihedioha addressed Imolites on his stewardship account for just 50 days in office.
Reacting to the governor’s address, she described it as commendable because leadership includes governance and the governed ought to know what you are doing as their leader so as to support your policies. She applauded the governor for involving the academics, politicians, traditional and religious institutions but advised him to involve other political party leaders in every other stakeholders meeting for inclusive government and progress of the state with heart of love.
“Any policy you are making and you don’t involve the people, that’s why they are frustrate it, but now the governor has already put down his own method, he put down things that previous government did not do rightly and the way he wants to correct them, and the people have heard. If it pleases them, they will accept it, if doesn’t please them, they will criticize it. And this is what today is all about. And that’s why they gave everybody after presentation, they would ask questions, anyone you feel that is not good, that is not supposed to be implemented, that is not supposed to be brought to the policy of Imo State, you speak out. This is like a stakeholders meeting, everybody is involved,” she stated.
More so, Ambassador Onwudiwe as she is popularly known, said that every elected leader should think above political party by involving everyone that matters, especially, party candidates that lost out during elections in improving the economy and welfare of the people.
“That is what i am dreaming for Imo State to start working better starting from state constituencies to the state, let everybody come together to make Imo better, whatever we do today is for our children and children yet unborn, it’s not just for me alone but for those people that are still upcoming. What are they going to see on the surface of Njaba and Imo State? What have we – the elder ones- done so that they would now know how to follow up with our achievements to make it better in near future? So, that’s my point.” She advised.
Reacting to part of the address where the governor announced of financial committee recommendation and the resolution of the executive arm of government to probe Okorocha’s administration, the female lawmaker who is the minority whip at Assembly said that Ihedioha will not make meaningful impact if he continues to witch hunt the past government as Okorocha has done his best. She said that he should improve on what he met on ground than living in the world of blame as Imolites won’t accept such flimsy excuses. That he can improve on the welfare of teachers, condition of schools, payment of pensioners and fixing of roads with potholes which Okorocha worked on.
“So, those places you think that is not good, improve it and make sure that place is better and when you leave, other person will come also and continue from where you stop and continue, that’s what we will always say government is a continuum, it is not a full stop for life.”
Surprisingly, when Trumpeta reporter told her to address the call by Imolites for probe of the immediate past government after such motion was discussed and supported at the Assembly hallow chamber by majority of the lawmakers, she had this to say:
“The motion is all about witch hunting and if you want to talk about the previous governance, you start from 1999 that was when we stabilized democracy, you start from 1999. But when you want to talk about 2011, then you’re now talking about a particular person and we are all one Imolites, we are still brothers regardless of who is in power.”
Continuing, “I am not in PDP but I must support his Excellency, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha because of what; any good policy he is bringing, I must key in, I must support because Njaba must benefit from it and I am here standing in for Njaba, I must stand in to support the good ones but when by the bad ones come up, I will oppose it because what is the essence of lawmakers? Lawmakers advise the executive to do the right thing. So I can’t sit here and watch people clapping hand just because of sycophancy, I will never be part of it. So whatever that is good, I will support, whatever that is bad, definitely I will not and I must make sure that anything coming out of House of Assembly must be something that will develop Imo State to a better place.”
