By Charles Igbo
The former Governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, has asked the Inspector General of Police, to investigate the allegations against him that he is the sponsor of the security breaches in Imo State.
The Imo State Government, speaking through the Commissioner for Information, Declan Emelumba, had accused Okorocha of being behind the various security breaches which the State has been battling for months.
The State Government was reacting to Okorocha’s request on the floor of the Senate, for the intervention of the Senate in the security situation in Imo State. Stung by Okorocha’s submission, the State Government said it was made in bad fate, and that Okorocha was indirectly calling for a state of emergency to be declared in the State. It wondered on what basis Okorocha was inviting the Senate’s intervention, and asked if the security situation in Imo was worse than those of a number of States in the country. If Senators from those other States are not calling for such intervention, why is Okorocha wishing it on Imo State?
The Government accused Okorocha of being behind the insecurities in the State. Those harassing the State, the Government said, are Okorocha’s goons who he uses to harass the State just to create a poor impression of the State and its Government.
But Okorocha, reacting to the Imo State Government’s Allegation in statement by his Media Adviser, Sam Onwuemeodo, said his request on the floor of the Senate was in good fate. He said he expected commendation for drawing the attention of the Senate to the Imo situation, instead of being called names.
He said he would never sponsor insecurity in a State he governed for eight years, and dismissed the allegation as unguarded.
He, therefore, called on the Inspector General of Police, IGP, to investigate the allegation against him and make the findings public.
Okorocha: “The lmo governor decided to take the route of abuses and propaganda against his brother Senator, who had governed the State before him and who is also the Senator of his Zone. He should have collaborated Okorocha’s fresh ideas on the floor of the Senate, on how to solve the Imo Security problem.
“Having said all these, it is our candid request, that the Inspector-General of Police and other Concerned Security Agencies, should investigate the Imo governor’s accusation against Okorocha, with the aim of finding out the truth or otherwise of this costly accusation. We would also delight that the outcome of their findings be made public in due course.”
Governor Uzodimma and Senator Okorocha, even though in the same party, APC, are not political friends. Aside from seeing Uzodimma as being responsible for his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, not succeeding him as Governor, Okorocha has not forgiven Uzodimma for not disbanding the various Judicial Commissions and Panels of Inquiry set up against him by the former Governor Emeka Ihedioha’s administration. All pressures on Uzodimma to do that was in vain as he said disbanding the Commissions and Panels would be unfair to Imo people.
The Government, in implementing the Whitepaper on the reports of the Panel on Land and Other Related Matters, has just stripped Okorocha, his family and cronies of over 86 plots land forcefully taken from people and the State. They have been returned to their original owners.
