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From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
A group under the aegis of the Concerned Organisation Incorporated has given the Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma a month ultimatum to implement the White paper report which indicted his predecessor, Rochas Okorocha of looting government properties and funds .
Addressing newsmen on Wednesday, Director General of the group,Mrs Foluke Lemechi regretted that several months the panel concluded its report,the governor is yet to prosecute Okorocha.
Lemechi said that the group is irked by the recent ploy by the former governor to return to power by poxy.
According to her,the non implementation of the White paper report has emboldened Okorocha to allegedly hold unholy alliance with some politicians in the State.
Lemechi said “We are saddened that those who looted the assets and money of the state are still walking free and even planning to return to power, by proxy, to finally bleed the state to death through unbridled state corruption.
“You may recall that the administration of Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha set up a Commission of Inquiry to probe the administration of his predecessor, Senator Rochas Okorocha following outcries by Imo people concerning the plundering of the state, through phoney contract awards and dispossession of both public and private lands belonging to Imo people, by the Okorocha administration and his family.
“It is necessary to mention here that the refusal of His Excellency to disband the panel is what led to his face off with Senator Rochas Okorocha. Expectedly the report of the panel and the subsequent White Paper heavily indicted Rochas Okorocha and his family and they were ordered to return all the looted estates to Imo people”. Lemechi recalled.
However,of all the loots,the group said it is more concerned about the N130 billion alleged to be syphoned in physical cash.
“We are ware that the Justice Iheka panel on award of contracts specifically ordered that Owelle Rochas Okorocha should refund far above One Hundred and Thirty Billion Naira ,(N130B, )in physical cash to the state government, being the sum he siphoned to his personal coffers through phoney contracts.
“That exactly is why we are here today. And that explains our sadness and frustration. We are here to express our displeasure with the Government for its failure to fully implement the recommendation of the White Paper, especially in the recovery of the homungous amount of money looted by Okorocha.
” By now Okorocha ought to be behind bars if he is obdurate concerning the refund of assets and money he stole from Imo people.
“But because he is still in possession of that ill gotten loot, Okorocha is now plotting to buy his way to power through a proxy. Because Government is foot dragging , Okorocha now has the effontry to spit on the faces of Imo people, especially those who have been impoverished by his rapacious tyranny.
“His audacity in the face of this mindless looting of our shared patrimony rankles, and that is why we are angry with what is happening.
“Is it that Rochas Okorocha is untouchable or that the arms of the law are too short to reach and seize him? If the EFCC is playing hide and seek with him, can’t he be taken to court directly based on the white paper?
“We don’t want the victims of Okorocha’s bringandage and open robbery to die before the emperor is brought to justice. We don’t want to wait until Okorocha succeeds in installing a stooge as governor to continue the looting spree before he is stopped.
“Consequently, we are giving the Government of His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma a one month ultimatum to take immediate steps to implement fully the white paper on recovery of stolen property , especially the more than N130b being illegally held by Okorocha.
“If after the expiration of the ultimatum, Okorocha has not returned the Money or he is not in jail , we shall take all lawful steps to ensure that justice is served,so that would be Public Office holders would not think that it is a norm to steal from the public purse and go scot free”. Lemechi stated.
