Speculations are rife that there could be possible compromise on the part of the Imo State government over the intensive campaign to recover alleged property of the state the former governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha may have converted to private items.
Part of the hallmark of Senator Hope Uzodinma administration is the decisive move to recover from the former governor landed property he allegedly got from the state.
The media in the past weeks has been abuzz with different stories about efforts of the government taming Okorocha until the former governor moved to personally unseal one of the property in Owerri.
After the hullabaloo that trailed the encounter between Okorocha and government forces at the Royal Spring hotel, Akachi road where the former governor went to unseal, Trumpeta learnt Uzodinma may reconsider the initial stance and embark on negotiations to arrive at a compromise with his predecessor.
It was gathered that after Okorocha alerted powerful forces in Abuja and Aso Rock of how Uzodinma had intensified efforts to ensure property of Imo State government allegedly converted to private use are recovered pressure is on the state governor to enter into negotiations with his predecessor.
According to details available to Trumpeta, when Uzodinma went to Abuja to explain his own side of the story, he was advised to weigh the option of negotiations if Okorocha shows such interest.
It was further gathered that those who interceded on behalf of Okorocha provided a lacuna for negotiations between the two considering the status of the former governor and the need for APC to work in harmony in Imo.
Trumpeta exclusively learnt that Aso Rock power brokers and party leaders advised that for peace to reign between the two which will be for the interest of the party, the duo, there should be re-approachment.
Even as both parties have been involved in verbal wars, negotiation is said to be brokered by external forces troubled by the development.
This fear is heightened by a recent outburst of an APC chieftain in the state, Dr TOE Ekechi who advised Uzodinma to shun such arrangement.
One of such calls was recently made by a chieftain of the party.
Trumpeta gathered that the leader of the Imo State APC popularly known as “Allied Forces” made call on Uzodimma, not to accept any form of agreement from Rochas Okorocha in the recovery of what he described as stolen Imo properties.
Ekechi, who was a former Commissioner for Information under Okorocha’s regime, said that should Uzodimma go into any negotiations with his erstwhile boss, it would be a disservice to Imo people.
He further stated that the battle is between Okorocha and Imolites revealing that it was an unwritten agreement of all the 2019 governorship candidates, including Emeka Ihedioha and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume to recover the properties.
“Let me start by telling you that Okorocha was caught on camera by one of his aides when he ordered for the unsealing of the government sealed property. So Okorocha was the one that actually provoked the state government.
“Let me tell you that if the state government had allowed Okorocha to get away with that, it would have been a shame. Okorocha and his people were heard saying that those who own Imo have arrived.
“Okorocha would have used that incident to tell anybody that there is nobody in Imo State.
“Therefore, the challenge that was put up by Okorocha was inappropriate. All that Okorocha wanted to do was to distract the state government, to divert attention and make it a personal disagreement.
“I speak as a stakeholder and statesman of Imo State and I recognize Uzodimma as my governor and leader not only in Imo State but in the entire southeast.
“I can recall the Emerienwe declaration where I called on Imolites not to allow Okorocha have his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu succeed him as the governor of the state. I had predicted that the only reason Okorocha was committed to having his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, succeed him was to ensure that all the atrocities and the properties of Imo people will not be recovered.
“Are you not aware that during my time as the commissioner for Information, the Imo Broadcasting Corporation, IBC, headquarters, that Okorocha converted it to a personal property. Many of the government owned properties were converted to his own personal and family properties. I also predicted that Okorocha will end up in jail.
“I have already called the governor, Hope Uzodimma that it would be a disservice to Imo people should the governor, Hope Uzodimma, enter into any negotiation with Okorocha on the recovery of Imo properties. The fight is between Okorocha and Imo people.
“So, I can recall that part of the unwritten manifestoes of those who were contesting election in Imo State was that stolen Imo properties would be recovered from Okorocha. It was an unwritten manifesto that Ihedioha inherited, Governor Hope Uzodimma inherited and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume inherited and would have enforced it to the full”.
