The immediate past governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has tackled the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over a petition against him by the party to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), accusing him of making inciting comments against Governor Emeka Ihedioha’s administration.
The petition, which was signed by the state secretary of the party, Nze Ray Emeana, and made available to journalists yesterday, urged the IGP to look into Okorocha’s comments while addressing his supporters during his return to the state last Tuesday and call him to order.
But in his reaction, Okorocha described the letter as “deceitful and an afterthought”, urging the IGP to disregard the petition.
A statement signed by Okorocha’s Special Adviser, Media, Sam Onwuemeodo, said: “Governor Emeka Ihedioha-led PDP government in Imo State has sent a letter to the IGP to call the beloved former governor of the State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha to order, because according to them, he was inciting his supporters to cause trouble.
“Governor Ihedioha was also quoted to have said that his predecessor, Owelle Okorocha “stole” not N200 billion again but N1 trillion from the state.
“We want to appeal to the IGP to disregard the letter because it was by all standard, very deceitful and an afterthought. The fact is that Ihedioha and his party have gotten maggot-infected firewoods and by so doing, have invited Agama Lizard to breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
“This is a government that swore openly to step on the toes of his predecessor, Owelle Okorocha, throwing caution to the wind. The PDP government in the state led by Ihedioha also declared war against Imo people perhaps for rejecting them at the poll in 2011, 2015 and even 2019 because in 2019, INEC declared them winner with more than half of Ihedioha’s votes coming from only three Local Governments of Aboh Mbaise, Ahiazu Mbaise and Ezinihitte Mbaise where he comes from, out of the 27 LGAs.
“They have set up, as we write, 21 Panels and Committees all aimed at creating undue tension and preparing the ground to dispose of people of their legitimate possessions; and to also blackmail. There is also an uncountable number of task forces, beating our people especially motorists on a daily basis and forcing them to pay all kinds of levies and loyalties. What we have in Imo at the moment is an Emperor who loves power and money. “
Okorocha alleged that crimes and criminality had resurfaced in the state since the assumption of the present administration, which should have been given attention.
“They failed to tell the IGP in their letter that today, kidnapping, ritual killings, armed robbery, raping, cultism, etc have become the orders of the day and totally opposite of what was obtainable for the eight years Okorocha governed the state. No Imo man or woman was harassed or beaten under Okorocha, but today the reverse is entirely the case.
With all these, Imo people, not Okorocha, are angry. Okorocha only advised the government to exercise caution and appealed to the people to remain calm. And their worry or concern is the mammoth crowd that received Okorocha on Tuesday, August 20, 2019, when he returned to the state with the atmosphere being clement and he was able to address them for hours,” he said.
