By peter uzoma
Contrary to recent media reports that the State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has intervened and amicably resolved the imbroglio between the embattled Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso and members of the Imo State House of Assembly, Imo Trumpeta can authoritatively reveal that the seeming skirmishes among top players in the present government are not yet over.
It would be recalled that Sir Agbaso had been at the receiving end of state lawmakers’ probe over improper award and execution of road contracts especially the one that concerns Jpross, a construction firm handling road project in Imo State, when he was Commissioner for Works before the recent cabinet reshuffle.
Against the backdrop of a statement credited to one of Okorocha’s media aide that the matter has been resolved, fresh hostilities erupted again on Tuesday as the Governor re-strategized and mobilized to descend on his deputy over suspected sabotage.
An indication that Okorocha’s “no cause for alarm” press release was not only stale information used by some media houses to highlight the story but also a smoke screen to further endanger the embattled Agbaso. The Governor’s grand design to ensure Agbaso faces the hammer for complicities in the award of contract emerged in the Imo State House of Assembly when some of his able lieutenants brought in selected media houses to watch the video clip of the Assembly Committee that probed the Deputy Governor in award of contracts. Despite the absence of the Committee Chairman of the probing ad hoc committee, Simeon Iwunze, representing Isiala Mbano, who with some of his members were in Abuja for a meeting with the Presidency and has not submitted the report, Okorocha’s Chief of Staff, Prince Eze Madumere and Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Chinedu Offor yesterday took correspondents of AIT, NTA, Radio Nigeria and Orient Radio and TV station to the Speaker’s office where the video show between Agbaso and the House Committee was relayed.
It was learnt that Okorocha and his aides in apparent suspicion that the Deputy and his elder brother Martin Agbaso may be responsible for the recent visit of PDP lawmakers to Abuja for the purposes of working against the interest of the APGA government in the state especially the Governor and Speaker Uwajumogu, resumed their onslaught on the Deputy Governor.
PDP lawmakers in the state assembly had jetted to Abuja on Monday for another meeting with the party’s leadership and president Jonathan. Government House sources who confided in our newspaper disclosed that on getting the hint that members of the State Assembly would exploit the ongoing probe to not only sack but also replace him with Uwajumogu, who is in sitting on a keg of gun powder for cross carpeting from PDP to APGA after emerging Speaker, Agbaso allegedly contacted his elder brother who reached chieftains of PDP for a deal. The bargain it was further learnt is for the party to intervene by caging PDP lawmakers against the planed impeachment whereas the Agbasos will work to whittle the influence of newly formed All Progressive Congress, APC, in Imo being spearheaded by Okorocha.
The essence of the meeting as allegedly planned by the Agbasos, is to use the presidency to influence the PDP lawmakers into backing out from the plot to disgrace the Deputy Governor from office by moving against Governor Okorocha and Speaker Uwajumogu.
However, before departing to Abuja for the meeting with PDP top notchers and presidency, some lawmakers of PDP extraction reportedly met with Governor Okorocha at Odenigbo Hall, Government House, Owerri, where issues of common interest were discussed. The few members who had the parley are said to be die-hard followers of Uwajumogu and members of his “working caucus” in the state legislature like Obinna Okwara, Stan Dara and Ugonna Ozuruigbo.
Suspicious of the said mischievous moves to Abuja, Okorocha and his aides launched a fresh offensive at home by letting the cat out of the bag for the public to know the committee report as they selected media was briefed with a caveat that there would be a world press conference by the committee when Iwunze and co return from Abuja.
To worsen the case of the Deputy, Imo Trumpeta learnt that arrangements have been concluded to report the matter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation should the committee and PDP members jettison the probe report. Our House of Assembly correspondent stated that top government official (names withheld) while leaving the Assembly Complex after watching the video tapes of the meeting between Agbaso and the committee said that the EFCC must hear the matter including the tapes of the meetings.
It was further gathered that based on the video tapes, there are damming reports against the Deputy Governor which the Emekuku born politician may find to wriggle out. Despite innocent by Agbaso, it was learnt that a deal between the Deputy Governor and a Construction Company JPross is may land him in hot soup if the report is made public. According to the reported findings, Sir Agbaso during his days as Commissioner for Works allegedly paid about N1.5b being 100% of the total contract sum to the firm for the construction of Warehouse – Nworie Lane Aba road dual carriage bye-pass. The JPross boss claimed he was in London when he received the alert for the full payment and reportedly paid about N458m to another account in one of the prominent banks in the state. The N458m is meant to be a “PR” to enable Jpross gets more contracts from the state. The owner of the account where the N458m was paid into has been a source of concern to the Imo Assembly probing team as Sir Agbaso denied knowledge of ownership while the affected company makes a different claim.
Another worrisome development that is disturbing the integrity of the Deputy Governor is unconfirmed claims uncovered by the probe committee that about N80m and N150m were also paid as kick-backs for road contracts by Timik and Godson respectively, two firms working in the state.
The disclosure is causing mutual mistrust and disaffection among the key players in the present administration which has led to espionage and counter espionage between them in a bid to outsmart each other.
Messier details about the probe and claims by the road construction company that they allegedly paid in money into some accounts and gave away monetary gifts to secure more contracts and kick-backs are expected to be made public as the PDP members have returned to Owerri after the Abuja movement.
Meanwhile, the House resumed late yesterday and among other things received the probe committee report by the Iwunze committee. The report will be made public on the floor of the House, thereby setting the stage for fierce battles among the contending factions.
