imo State Governor, Chief Emeka Ihedioha and his predecessor, Chief Rochas Okorocha are enmeshed in a proxy battle and all the gloves are off. With weeks of allegations and counter allegations, the incumbent governor, Emeka Ihedioha has said he deals with hard facts and has described the administration of former Governor Rochas Okorocha in the state as a wicked heist as the former Governor allegedly stole over N1trillion from the state coffers.
The governor made the disclosure while reacting to allegations made by Okorocha claiming that the Imo state government under Ihedioha was spending about N2.8b on the monthly sanitation exercise in the state.
Ihedioha described the allegation as mischievous, baseless and unfounded.
A statement issued by the Special Adviser, Media to the Governor of Imo State, Mr. Steve Osuji described the former Governor’s claim as unfortunate, explaining that only about Twenty Five Million Naira was used for the monthly sanitation exercise in the state.
According to him, “the administration of Chief Emeka Ihedioha is very prudent and sensitive to the plights of the people of Imo State unlike Okorocha who was notorious for unbridled fiscal recklessness in his time. He diverted billions monthly on phony projects, including sanitation but, left Imo in very dirty and miserable situation.”
“Available records show that in eight years, former Governor Okorocha mismanaged about One Trillion Naira belonging to Imo State. We are taking our time in unveiling the numerous atrocities of the last administration and certainly, he must answer for all the evil he did against the people of Imo State.”.
Osuji expressed dismay that a person of the stature of a former Governor could resort juvenile pranks to score wrongly perceived political points.
He continued: “It is very strange that a former Governor could sit and concoct lies. How could Governor Emeka Ihedioha spend N2.8b on sanitation? What was it used for? Okorocha’s problem is that he is so used to lies that he no longer knows the difference between lies and the truth. The state spends only about Twenty Five Million Naira on sanitation and the bulk of the funds come from support from corporate organizations as part of their corporate social responsibility.”
“Okorocha also alleged that Governor Ihedioha has, within two months in office, built a Hotel in Abuja and new houses in Owerri and his village. This further shows that the man, Okorocha is sick. As at today, Governor Ihedioha operates from his private residence in Owerri, following the pillage and vandalisation of Government House by former Governor Okorocha and his cronies. How could he say the Governor is building new houses, when he owns a palatial residence in Owerri, where he operates from and mansions in his village, built many years ago? The question is – are houses built in two months? Only Okorocha can build a house in two months and it collapses after a short while. Imo people already know that Okorocha is a habitual liar and should not be taken seriously”
Osuji maintained that Okorocha wrecked Imo State and that all he is doing and failing, is to attempt to divert the attention of Imo people.
On Okorocha’s claim that Governor Ihedioha did not win the last election, Osuji said: “He cannot get over the fact that his puppet in-law failed; he is also in pains that he has not been able to extend his dynasty in Imo. But no amount of falsehood will deter the people’s governor, Ihedioha from fulfilling his electoral promise of rebuilding Imo State. The present administration shall remain on course in its efforts to recover Imo people’s funds and property looted by Rochas Okorocha and his cronies.”
