As fresh war of words appears to be brewing between the state governor and agents of the immediate past administration anchored by Rochas Okorocha, the PDP in the state has given an indication that the former governor should have been resting in prison custody by now.
Apparently reacting to Tuesday’s entry of the former governor to the state after he left Owerri before handover, the PDP in a statement not only blasted Okorocha but was of the view that the manner he handled the affairs of the state if properly investigated by anti graft agencies should be cooling his feet in detention.
Okorocha on arrival had taken his successor to cleaners by making certain claims and accusations.
A statement from the state party signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Damian Opara, reads;
“The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Imo State chapter, has been drawn to the ludicrous and shameful ranting of the former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, yesterday, August 21, 2019, upon his return to the state from his self imposed exile in Abuja”.
The former Governor, who ordinarily should have quietly retired to his home upon arrival in Owerri, considering his perfidious and shameful eight years gross misrule in Imo, rather chose to throw caution to the wind by attacking Governor Emeka Ihedioha unwarrantedly. To Okorocha, Governor Ihedioha is his albatross, who must be demonized at all cost for him (Okorocha) to enjoy a breath of fresh air. To us, Okorocha’s morbid fears are quite understandable”
Opara said, “it is disgusting to note that the former Governor who mismanaged Imo people’s goodwill and left the state dilapidated and massively impoverished in all facets, still had the impudence to appear in public, believing that Imo people have short memory. By his utterances, Okorocha attempted to incite his hired supporters from neighbouring states into provoking Imo people to respond commensurately which could have precipitated something ugly if not for the maturity and restraint exhibited by Imo people”
He described the PDP as a masses party, believes however, that the goodwill and abiding faith of His Excellency, Governor Emeka Ihedioha in ‘Rule of Law’ should not be misconstrued by a shameless lawbreaker, electoral fraudster, tyrant, oppressor of civil servants and pensioners in Imo, as an act of cowardice. For Okorocha to make Governor Ihedioha object of discussion, on his return to the state, several months after he ran away from the state out fear of being lynched, portrays him as a petty schemer and drowning man, who wants to attach his imminent disgraceful downfall on the PDP government in Imo.
As a party, we insist that Okorocha must be made to account for his colossal stewardship for eight years as governor. Answers by Okorocha to the following questions must be provided before he can shamelessly seek to hold a government which is barely three months to accountability.
He queried what Okorocha’s relationship with Zigreat Nigeria Ltd, a fictitious company without address which he used to siphon over N30 billion belonging to the Imo State Government when he held sway as Governor
The State Publicity Secretary said Okorocha claims he never molested or harassed anybody as a sitting governor. What of what transpired on August 5, 2011, when he sent his thugs led by Chief Placid Ekwueme from Ohaji/Egbema LGA to invade HRM, Eze (Dr) Cletus Ilomuanya’s residence at Civic Centre Layout, Owerri? Till date, he has refused to pay the N10 million slammered on him by the Federal High Court, Owerri for such unlawful invasion and harassment of the monarch. This is one out of series of other intimidations/harassments Imo people suffered under Okorocha’s tyrannical rule.
How much did Okorocha spend in the construction of the meaningless and economical non-viable monument he called “Akachi” on somebody’s land against a court order? The almost N700 million reportedly wasted on that shamble of a project should have been used to pay our pensioners. How can a man be that reckless?
Opara asked, “What were the occupations of his wife, Nkechi Okorocha and daughter, Uloma before Okorocha became governor? Within eight years, all of them became billionaires overnight courtesy of Imo people’s fund while workers salaries were wickedly and inhumanly slashed to suit their lust to steal public money.
Why is the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) now a regular visitor to only Okorocha and his family members? Flies can only hover where there are rotten edible items. Okorocha and his family stink of graft and must be made to account for every dime stolen from Imo treasury. His eight years misrule has left Imo bleeding profusely financially.
“The PDP, Imo State views Olorocha’s recent senseless outburst against the PDP led government in the state as diversionary tactics but Imo people are too wise to fall for such criminal gimmick. We also wish to caution him to be mindful of his conducts as he is not above the law”
He must know that because “the crocodile opened its mouth wide for river birds to peck at, does not mean it has lost the power to bite”.
It is only a swollen headed person like Okorocha, who does not appreciate the essence of tapping form the wealth of experience of tested and accomplished technocrats like those Hon. Commissioners appointed by Governor Ihedioha, whom Okorocha referred to in his insipid diatribe. Making such reference only proves how empty Okorocha is and why he ran Imo aground with his bunch of neophytes because of his inordinate ambition to create a political dynasty of thieves under his supreme command.
Opara said Okorocha must know that Imo people will no longer tolerate his nuisance anymore. Gone are the days when jesters and touts held sway in Imo. The present government in Imo under His Excellency, Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha is determined to serve the people honestly and sincerely in line with his Rebuild Agenda for the State. As a democrat, he will abide by the rule of law which includes not disrupting any lawful assembly or infringing on people’s right to freedom of movement or association.
However, such should not be abused by Okorocha and his goons any further. Calling for civil resistance against a government without justification as Okorocha did, is daring the government’s will to enforce law and order in the state. Such shall no longer be tolerated.
Similarly, the People’s Democratic Party, Imo State, has alerted the IG of police, the general Public and other Security agencies of the sinister and despicable plot by the immediate Past Governor of Imo State, Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorochato set in motion, a carefully choreographed series of events that will lead to breach of peace, break down of law and order and ultimately provide his sponsors with excuses and justification for the declaration of a state of emergency in Imo State.
According to the state secretary, Nze Ray Emeana, “Overwhelmed by the high probability of his imminent transition from Governor/ Senator to Prisoner, on account of the unearthing of his monumental looting in Imo, going by the confessions of his erstwhile aides and other revelations at the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Okorocha like a drowning man, in a desperate bid to destabilize Imo in order to divert attention from his self inflicted predicament and to buy time which he desperately needs but which is fast eluding him, came into Owerri the State capital on the 21st of August with hired hoodlums and tried to precipitate a State of anarchy.“Okorocha himself has realized that he has reached the end of the road, following the revelation of his Land Grabbing, Housing, Bail Out and Paris Fund scams, Fraudulent Contracts, Electoral Fraud and the disqualification of his son in-law by an Abuja court.
“The strategy is for him to engage in very provocative and vexatious acts aimed at luring the already highly incensed Imolites into attacking and possibly lynching him. This will make Imolites incur the wrath of his sponsors and provide them with the perfect alibi for interfering in the affairs of Imo and disrupting the trend of development and good governance which the PDP and the Ihedioha administration have set in motion.
“For a man who presided over the criminal looting of the resources of the state at the destruction of its values and institutions to brazenly and openly declare against the legitimate government and people of the state as Okorocha has done in the video that is currently going viral is to take freedom of expression too far.
“We thank Imolites for the restraint they have shown so far in their encounters with Okorocha and implore them to exercise further restraint in their future interactions with him. We assure them that the judiciary and the law enforcement agencies give them the justice they demand and plead with them to resist the temptation resort to self help or yield to temptation.
“We call on your office and the security agencies to call Okorocha and I supporters to order as we may not be able to continue to restrain Imolites who have seen the difference between good and bad governance.
“We hope that the security agencies will do the needful to stop Okorocha from further acts of confrontation and provocation against the good people of Imo State as we, shall not be held liable for any failure of our efforts to, restrain the people from reacting to his deliberate provocation.
