Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha has reacted to the comments recently credited to the immediate past Governor, Rochas Okorocha.
In a release by Ihedioha’s Press Secretary, Chibuike Onyeukwu, the Governor said Okorocha should stop pushing Imolites to the wall and that all his statements are baseless allegations.
The release read in parts; “We have read reports in the media where the former governor of the state, Chief Rochas Okorocha, in his characteristics and in a failed bid to shore up his image, made baseless accusations against the government of the state and the governor, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha CON.
“We are not surprised that Chief Okorocha who is being probed on issues bothering on corruption and his awkward stewardship in the state, especially after the anti-graft agency had sealed some properties belonging to himself, members of his family and associates, would engage in face-saving antics. Confronted with the failure to attract attention, the former governor chose to make up his disappointment by repeating his baseless claims against the state government.
“We are not also surprised that the former governor, who recently made statements to the EFCC on how he ruined the state, could make public claims that his government was spending N200m for the monthly clean-up exercise in Owerri alone, to justify the humongous corruption that ravaged his government. If Chief Okorocha was spending N200m every four weeks on monthly environmental sanitation exercise, it means that he has more questions to answer, especially for the fact that Imo State was an environmental disaster for the period he was governor, necessitating the recent declaration of emergency on the environment by the Ihedioha administration.
“Chief Okorocha must stop pushing Imo people to the wall. Rather than show remorse, return the loots and apologize for his eight years of bad governance in the state, he is still grandstanding. It is rather unfortunate that Chief Okorocha who is currently under investigation over the outrageous inflation of award of series of contracts, ranging from award for the construction of Community Hospital Ogboko for over N683 million, award of contract for the construction of Ministry of Niger Delta Office Blocks for over N611 million and award of contract for the construction of Ministry of Happiness Office Blocks for over N689 million is presenting himself as a saint. He also awarded a contract for the construction of the Ministry of Sports Office Blocks for over N689 million, award of contract for the construction of Police Headquarters, Owerri, for over N5 billion, award of contract for the construction of Police Headquarters (II), Owerri, for over N4 billion, award of contract for the construction of Imo State University of Agriculture and Environment Aboh/Ngor Okpala for over N3 billion, to several others.
“It is insulting to the people of the state that he is the person now spuriously accusing the Ihedioha administration of spending N2.8 billion on the monthly cleanup exercise.
We had thought that the former governor would be sober enough to tell Imo people how he converted properties belonging to the state government to himself and members of his family and associates. We had thought that he would tell Imo people the conditions of the roads, hospitals, schools, and other projects he claimed to have spent billions of naira to construct, but he failed the people once again.
“Obviously, Chief Okorocha is worried that Governor Emeka Ihedioha, within a short period he has been in office, even without a handover note, is deliberately laying foundation to addressing the decayed state he left Imo. Chief Okorocha should have used the opportunity to explain his role in the suspicious N33 billion absolute garnishee order against the state government immediately he left office in connivance with his lackeys. We understand why he is losing sleep over the successes recorded in the provision of pipe-borne water, addressing ecological challenges, particularly erosion sites, the economy, and fixing physical infrastructures.
“Governor Emeka Ihedioha is following tenaciously his Rebuild Imo agenda. This requires the governor not to retire anyone but to bring the people together in order to harness their potentialities in rebuilding the state. The impact of the united approach in the governance of the state under the Ihedioha administration is the peace and security the people now enjoy. And contrary to what obtained under the Okorocha era, there has been no report of government sponsored kidnappings or killings and nobody has been reported missing.
“It is laughable that Chief Okorocha could attempt to incite the people of Imo State against the administration of Rt. Hon. Ihedioha. He should be mindful of his utterances and conduct and be prepared to take responsibility for their implications.
