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Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
Immediate past governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha has alleged that contrary to the claim by a panel set up by the state government, indicting him of diverting N6billion fund, accrued to the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC), the commission was rather ruined by the administration of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the last 12 years before he assumed office.
Okorocha in a press statement he issued through his Special Adviser on media, Sam Onwuemeodo, and made available to newsmen in Owerri also denied being summoned by any panel, pointing out that if such panel exists, it was only for blackmail.
The governor who stated: “Again, not minding that Ihedioha’s government had written 32 petitions to EFCC and 15 petitions to ICPC against Okorocha and the family, the questionable panel on ISOPADEC was just a smokescreen because a serious panel would have invited the former governor or any of the former chairmen or managing directors of the commission under Okorocha for questioning or fact-finding. But the panel never did that because it was only packaged for blackmail.”
The former governor who accused his successor, Governor Emeka Ihedioha of not concentrating on governance of the state since he was sworn in, but kept attacking himself and his family, claiming he did more for the commission than the present administration.
He listed some of the achievements of his administration to the commission to include a multi-billion naira new edifice of the commission, youth and women empowerment programme as well building of a Marine University at Ossemotor in Oguta council.
Okorocha said “for 12 years, PDP governed Imo and ran ISOPADEC aground. The PDP government did nothing for the oil-producing areas of Ohaji, Egbema, and Oguta. It ran ISOPADEC from a rented three-bedroom apartment close to Winners Chapel Owerri, without electricity and water; it was like a beer parlour; militancy was the order of the day with the people deserting their areas.
“But Okorocha came and built a multi-billion naira edifice in a choice area in Owerri as headquarters of ISOPADEC, built the Marine University at Ossemotor in Oguta which was nearing completion, stopped militancy and rehabilitated the militants through empowerment programmes, carried out multi-million naira empowerments for the youths and women of the area built schools and hospitals for them.
He added that he “tarred their roads and gave them light (power) and also appointed several of their sons and daughters into government. Employed a lot of youths from the areas into ISOPADEC with the current government sacking about 1,000 of such elements within three months it came on board.”
While comparing his past administration to that of Ihedioha, Okorocha said: “Chief Ihedioha, in all honesty, should have as usual, found his way back to the House of Representatives to continue with his areas of specialisation, which included over-sight functions and constituency projects business, because he has shown that he does not have the needed capacity to govern a highly-enlightened state like Imo.
“For almost nine months, the Ihedioha government appears stranded with nothing to show that a new government is in Imo and he is diverting attention over his motionless government by fighting Okorocha full-time.
“His administration only exists on the internet. Go to Whatsapp, face-book and other social media networks you see his administration in action, but in Imo, it is a clear case of, the more you look, the less you see. The government is only known for hosting billionaires and multi-millionaires to prodigal luncheon and gala nights almost on a daily basis,” Okorocha claimed.
He, however, challenged the present administration under the leadership of a PDP government to publish what it has done with ISOPADEC funds in the last 12 years, while he also publishes his.
“Governor Ihedioha should explain to Imo people in particular what he has done with the state’s resources including federal allocations, local government allocations, ISOPADEC funds, internally-generated revenue that has snowballed at the expense of Imo people, the N48billion left behind for him by Okorocha and other funds thereto.
“What has he done with these monies? This government is like the old story of the tortoise and the wife. And the only consolation is that Imo people never voted for Ihedioha. INEC made him governor,” Okorocha claimed.
