A former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha has accused the incumbent Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma of collecting a total sum of One Hundred and twenty Five Billion, Four Hundred Million Naira (N125.4bn) from Federal Allocation since he assumed office on January 15,2020.
Okorocha made this revelation in a Press Release signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Sam Onwuemeodo, made public and available to the Press.
“Governor Uzodinma should explain what he has done with the N119Billion he has collected from the Federation Account and N6.4 Billion ISOPADEC Fund” Okorocha hinted.
The former Governor was reacting to an indictment of N106B leveled against him by a Judiciary Panel looking into execution of contracts in the State headed by Justice Iheaka.
However, there has not been any official reaction from the Imo State Government challenging the Okorocha allegation against Uzodinma, Forty Eight (48) hours after the Okorocha statement.
Okorocha said that since Uzodinma said he came into Government by “Ben Johnson” way, which he said look dubious, therefore, Uzodinma’s actions are akin to “Ben Johnson” method, which makes the Judiciary Report suspect.
“The Governor said he came to office through “Ben Johnson” way, and since January 14, 2020 when he came on board, all his actions and utterances have been “Ben Johnson” way” Okorocha said.
Okorocha accused Uzodinma of suffering from abandonment by the Imo masses, and therefore fighting for legitimacy, which the former Governor said is dogging his successor.
“For almost nine months on seat, the Government of Imo State has been struggling for acceptance” Okorocha posited.
Okorocha said that he did not steal any money, pointing at various projects in the State as the places the funds Uzodinma is looking for went into.
However, most of Imo populace disagreed with Okorocha in his argument, saying that the former Governor ripped Imo State off and should return public funds he collected.
Most of Imo citizens who spoke to our Reporters urged Governor Uzodinma to pursue the Okorocha matter to a conclusively end, by asking to vacate some Government Lands and Property he converted to his personnel name while his tenure lasted.
“Okorocha should return the IBC land at Orji which he converted to Rochas Foundation College. He should also forfeit the Houses he constructed on Imo Government House Permanent Site in New Owerri” Chief Paulinus Nwokocha, a retired Permanent Secretary told this Newspaper.
Meanwhile, most Imo people are disturbed that Uzodinma and his Government have allowed Okorocha to dominate the media war, wondering what happened to Uzodinma’s Media Team.
