The Imo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the State Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha of running a government that is akin to “OBT”, a popular slang to describe a crime called “Obtaining By Trick”.
PDP State Publicity Secretary, Chief Blyden Amajirionwu while reacting on the World Press Conference and Midterm Account of Governor Okorocha noted that Okorocha’s administration is full of deceit, double-speaking and insincerity aimed at deceiving the public especially unsuspecting Imolites.
Okorocha as part of his second year anniversary identified the PDP as the greatest obstacle to his quest to deliver dividends of democracy to Imo people adding that the PDP failed the people of the state when it managed power in the state from 1999-2011, boasting that the party can never get close to the corridors of power in Imo again.
Reacting on the issue, the PDP spokesman disclosed that the people of the state have become familiar with Okorocha’s “wide mouth” statements about his achievements adding that the Governor is a confused Governor who always plays to the gallery for undeserved praises and sympathy.
“What has he to show for the two years? The roads are sub standard jobs which cannot stand the test of time because the projects are poor jobs done by unqualified contractors”.
On the Governor’s achievements, Chief Amajirionwu stated that most of the claims are imaginary and cannot be substantiated with empirical evidences. “Okorocha is merely deceiving Imolites. We are happy that Imolites have realized he is running an OBT Government. Unlike in the past when people believed in him, today people have seen it is an abracadabra administration where deceit is the watchword of Rescue Mission”.
Has 305 schools been built in the state as he continuously claim during his broadcasts? What of the money he claimed to have given GLOs for autonomous communities development. Recently, he gathered unemployed graduates for a fresh job after sacking 10,000 of their colleagues. He only called the unemployed persons to deceive them. Under the pretext of providing jobs to them. Today, what has happened to his promised N20,000 job?” Amajirionwu asked.
Why has he agreed today that he borrowed some money from Zenith Bank after several denials from the State Government? Why has he agreed that Ohakim left about N18bn bond money? He is deceiving Imo people”.
Speaking further, Amajirionwu opined that Imo State is in huge debt running into several billions. Contractors are owed not less than N90b for projects executed so far, while he claimed to have borrowed from Zenith Bank. For now Imo is in huge debt of about 140bn. Then what is the meaning of Rescue Mission?” PDP queried.
On Okorocha’s allegation of PDP distraction, Amajirionwu responded that he has no right to dictate activities of the party in the state adding that his becoming a Governor under APGA is not the end of PDP in Imo State.
While stating that Okorocha is a political turncoat as he is always on the move to different political parties every moment, he said, “His movement to APC is a regular exercise. Tomorrow he will still disappoint APC the way he has disappointed APGA. PDP is not disturbing Okorocha he is the one disturbing himself.
“His major problem is not PDP but his policies. They are more of “OBT” in style than being real. He has now arrogantly sacked the Perm Secs. He tells lies on almost all issues. Where does PDP come in all these? He is the architect of his foes and should take responsibility for them”, Amajirionwu asked.
Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha at Ahaijoku centre, Owerri, narrated his achievements in the last two years since he assumed office as governor of the State.
Okorocha described himself as a radical governor who has introduced a new style in the art of governance geared towards making him a unique governor.
Okorocha identified the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as his greatest obstacle to his quest to actualize his vision and mission for the people of Imo State.
He said the PDP failed the people of the State since it managed power in the State from 1999- 2011, boasting that the party can never get close to the corridors of power in Imo anymore. “I have taken power from them and they can never get it back” Okorocha boasted
He went on to allege that the PDP are responsible for 80 petitions against his administration, stressing that the party in the past quenched his political desire to be the party’s national chairman, denied him the opportunity of going to the senate and robbed him of the presidency.
The Governor noted that Imo State has undergone transformation since he came on board as governor, stating that his administration has judiciously made use of over N100 billion naira that accrued to the State from the Federation Account and N13 billion naira from Internal Generated Revenue (IGR), an average of N45O million naira per month in the past two years.
He gave the Local Government administration in the State a clean bill of financial health, declaring that the LGAs in the State are not indebted to anyone as it has a credit balance of N420 million naira. He said on assumption of office, he discovered that the Local Governments operated over 200 accounts but he intervened and mopped it up into one account which yielded close to N17 billion naira. He explained that for the first time in the history of Imo State, Local Governments were able to embark on capital projects.
The Governor explained that his administration embarked on cost saving mechanism in the State and this measure paid off as the State saved N7 billion naira after paying N34 billion naira as salaries and pensions.
Gov Okorocha further stated that provision of school uniforms, desks and other education materials freely given to pupils and students by his administration totaled N4.8 billion naira, while primary school teachers were given N200,000 as imprest which totaled N2 billion. The Community Government Council, (CGC), according to him, received N650 million naira for its take off. The also GLOs got N32 million naira.
Other expenditures include: Judiciary headquarters, Flood disaster, Imo Polytechnic, medical equipments and construction of Diagnostic centre- N504 million naira. The largest chunk of expenditure on capital projects went to roads as it cost N13.5 billion naira. Ministries, according to him receive N2 million naira as imprest, while Imo House of Assembly got N175 million naira in the last two years.
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He justified the four year rolling budget approved by the Imo State House of Assembly, adding that his administration has placed emphasis on capital projects to recurrent expenditure, stressing that construction of rural roads cost his administration over N20 billion naira. According to him, N14 .6 billion naira was paid as salaries and pensions in the Local Governments, compared to N22 billion naira paid in the past.
Governor Okorocha spoke on the N18.5 billion naira bond secured by the Ikedi Ohakim administration. He said the former governor used N5 billion from the bond for some projects such as the oak refinery, Imo wonderlake, etc. He however stated that he met a Bond of N13 billion naira when he came into office.
Okorocha revealed that JPROS, the contractor that accused former deputy governor of Imo State, Sir Jude Agbaso, of collecting N458 million naira bribe, is been hunted by the Nigeria Police. He said JPros has been reported to the law enforcement agency, including the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He said his equipments have been confiscated by the State government.
