George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Secretary of the Inauguration Planning and Handover Committee, of Imo State governor-elect, Nze Ray Emeana, has debunked the rumours making rounds that Governor Rochas Okorocha had released the sum of N150m, saying that the committee has yet to get a kobo from the state government.
This was just as he also disclosed that the renovation of the Dan Anyiam Stadium venue for the Inauguration of Emeka Ihedioha, is solely been undertaken by the subcommittee on works for the Ihedioha inauguration planning and handover committee.
In a statement issued by Nze Emeana reads: “The attention of the Emeka Ihedioha Inauguration Planning and Handover Committee has been drawn to a publication in the social media made by one Johnbull Chikwe titled ‘Ihedioha Inauguration Committee Mishandling Millions of Naira Released to it by Governor Rochas Okorocha for the Renovation of Dan Anyiam Stadium.’
“Ordinarily, such incoherent, disjointed garble should not attract the attention of such a high-powered committee put up by His Excellency Chief Emeka Ihedioha to oversee the most significant event in the history of Imo State since its creation in 1976.
“For the avoidance of doubts, Governor Rochas Okorocha and his out-going government have not released any money to the committee. The committee has not requested for any money either. Rather, the joint committee made up of the 31-member Ihedioha team and the 21-member Rochas Okorocha team met and adopted common resolutions on how best to proceed with the inauguration activities. Rochas Okorocha has since abandoned the mutual resolutions and proceeded with his “Internet-based Commissioning of Internet Sited Projects.
“Conscious of the importance Imo people attach to the May 29, 2019, handover date, the Ihedioha/Irona inauguration committee has proceeded with arrangements to deliver a world-class inauguration and swearing-in ceremonies to Imo people come May 29, 2019. Arrangements to ensure this delivery include such activities as providing clean environments within and around event venues including the Dan Anyiam and Grass Hoppers Handball stadia.
“Indeed, Imo is already agog with excitement. Currently, Owerri is the destination of choice for prominent Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora come May 29, 2019. The hotels are fully booked. Flights into Owerri are filled up. The venues for the various programmes are wearing new and fresh looks.”
However, he said that they understood the frustrations of Governor Okorocha and the remnants of his e-rats, having realised that their efforts to derail the swearing-in of Ihedioha and Engr Gerald Irona as Imo State governor and deputy governor respectively had failed woefully.
“To this end, the frustration of the writer much as it is regrettable, is quite understood. Nonetheless, that the writer will rely solely on “pictures from the internet” as a basis for his assessment clearly betrays his state of mind. He therefore, deserves as our pity.
“The days of poor quality and spurious projects are gone come May 29, 2019. Okorocha is invited to transit into oblivion with his poor-quality projects and internet commissioning of projects now and forever and be ready to account to Imo people, the billions of naira wasted for the past eight years.
“We have reported this claim to security agencies to invite Johnbull Chikwe to provide more insight into the allegation that the sum of N150m was released to the Ihedioha Inauguration Planning and Handover Committee to state clearly when, where and who the money was made available to and for what purpose?
We may, however, not be surprised that such monies may have been indeed fraudulently siphoned under the guise that the money is being released for the Ihedioha Inauguration planning and Handover ceremonies.”