•We’ll respond appropriately, says gov’s aide
From Iheanacho Nwosu, Abuja
Former Imo governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim has descended heavily on Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha, accusing him of running down the state through implementation of what he called anti-people policies.
Besides, he labelled the governor a law-breaker and claimed that Okorocha had refused to obey court judgments on the lifting of the suspension of first class traditional ruler, Eze Cletus Illomuanya.
Ohakim alleged this in a letter addressed Okorocha titled “Still On the Trend of Events in Our State.”
This is the second time Ohakim, who was Imo governor between 2007 and 2011, would write Okorocha to complain about happenings in the state.
In a swift reaction, Okorocha’s Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, said his principal was yet to receive the letter but assured that the governor will respond appropriately when he gets the letter.
He recalled that the first letter written by Ohakim, where he also criticised his boss, was adequately taken care of by publishing the governor’s achievements.
Regardless, the former governor claimed that policies of the APC administration in the state have taken a huge toll on the people.
Said Ohakim: “Chief Ethelbert Rochas Anayo Okorocha, our people are dying in their hundreds. A scientific study by one Dr. Damian Okoli, in 2016, has confirmed that some of your anti-people policies have direct negative consequences on the growing hardship and misery index among the people of Imo State. The study went ahead to confirm that over 50,000 people who were gainfully employed in both public and private sectors before May 29, 2011 are today out of job. The socio-economic implications of this are too grave to contemplate.
“The only industry thriving in the state today is the burial industry. Imo state, under your watch does not even have a single medical consultant in its employment with its attendant implications. The state now has a total of 58 mortuaries, from 20 in 2011.
“As it is now, the people are enthusiastically looking at what a post Okorocha Imo will be like.
“There are fears that the post Okorocha era will be bedevilled with intricate social and economic problems, as people will struggle to grapple with issues arising from the collapse of institutions of governance. For example, there will be several disputes over land given the way your administration went about with what looks like a land grabbing policy.
“There will be the issue of your habitual disrespect for contractual obligations which has led to more than 250 court cases and over N5billion judgment debts.
“There will be issues of reviving town unions and tackling community restiveness in several areas given your style of administration.
“The collapse of your 4th tier of government and its debt obligations and the revival of the local government system will also pose a challenge to the post Okorocha era.”
Pointedly accusing the governor of disrespecting court rulings, Ohakim decried the non-reinstatement of Illomuanya to his traditional stool despite the ruling of Appeal Court and in spite of the a letter from the office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation directing that the suspended traditional ruler returns to his stool.
He said: “Your Excellency, I was appalled on coming across a recent newspaper report in which you were quoted as saying that you will “banish” His Royal Majesty, Eze Cletus I. Ilomuanya, the Obi of Obinugwu, chairman, Imo State council of traditional rulers and chairman, South East Council of Traditional Rulers.
“Your Excellency, that statement credited to you touched me so much to the extent that I saw myself asking: Have things turned this bad for Nigeria? Pardon my skepticism, Your Excellency, but you will agree with me that such an utterance is quite unbecoming of a servant of the people in a free and democratic society, more so in a state like Imo whose people are known to be civil in actions and utterances and generally, not given to the type of brashness, I dare say, you have had tendencies to exhibit.”
He continued “I have just read the address of the Imo state chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) which was delivered in your presence at a function organized by the Imo state judiciary a couple of weeks ago.
“I advise you to request for a copy and read it when alone. Tongues are wagging; people are uncomfortable with the way you are “banishing” the judiciary and disobeying the orders of the court. Till this moment, judicial officers, including judges, are being owed salary and allowances for upwards of four months. There are over 250 court cases against you and your administration by the same citizens you swore on oath to look after. Please stop ridiculing the judiciary.”
He maintained: “Recall that you equally “banished” the elected local government chairmen and councillors as soon as you took office. They went to court and in case No. CA/OW/215/11, the Appeal Court in a unanimous judgment delivered on July 5, 2012, reaffirmed that the governor “has no competence or powers, either by himself or through any person acting on his behalf to dissolve elected local government councils”.
The court also ruled that “the governor has no powers or competence to set up or constitute transition committees to replace the democratically elected chairmen”. It consequently ordered that they be immediately reinstated to office.
“You bluntly disobeyed. Rather, you went to the Supreme Court on appeal and that has kept the fate and lives of these leaders, their children and dependents in abeyance.
“I appeal to you to reinstate them or pay them their entitlements for the sake of our economy and their children.”
On Okorocha’s claims that his administration has achieved much, Ohakim accused the governor of building substandard projects. He said: “Take seriously the advice of COREN.”
Most of the projects you are dishing out and throwing to the people have become death traps. Recall that a new building you were erecting at the Imo State University suddenly collapsed. Your new Princess hotel in Okigwe has been abandoned because it collapsed. Some of your pre-fabricated school blocks have collapsed. The much advertised tunnel along Concord Avenue is now a death trap.”
He stressed “Now that you have received another bailout windfall, please, for the sake of our state,begin to make amends. First, remove all the four substandard culverts you built across Nworie and Otmiri rivers and replace them with properly designed bridges. The culverts have constricted the two rivers and there are fears that this precious gifts of nature may go into extinction within the next few years. Remove the round-about at the IMSU junction along Okigwe road, Owerri because it has constituted a death trap. I have it on good authority that it is wrong to locate a round-about along a road with that type of gradient.”.
Ohakim advised the Governor “Like I did advice in my previous letter, the Imo Road Maintenance Agency (IROMA) was a parastatal created by law for the maintenance of public infrastructure especially roads. Since our 16,000km road-network cannot all be asphalted by one administration, the 164-member Imo advisory committee, which was constituted in preparation for my inauguration in 2007, and which was headed by our revered father, the late Hon. Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, JSC, recommended IROMA among other policy recommendations.
“IROMA was subsequently set up by my administration and it acquired equipment and other assets. Each of the 27 L.G.As had a brand new grader, excavator, tipper, earth roller, a Hilux van, 100 motor cycles, general low bed truck and other working tools. IROMA employed over 300 workers spread across the 27 L.G.As and they included engineers, supervisors, drivers, artisans, mechanics and laborers. Part of their assignment included routine maintenance of both rural and semi-rural roads as well as servicing and routine maintenance of urban roads. By the time we left office, IROMA had assets valued at N12.5billion. Imo people want IROMA back to help in maintaining roads including the ones you hurriedly built which in several cases do not last more than three months. “
Ohakim boasted that his administration had more to show than what Okorocha is currently flaunting despite the latter having more resources at his disposal. According to him “I marvel each time you are reported as saying that your achievements surpass those of all the 13 previous governors put together. Exactly what do you mean? Are you aware that the combined current balance of all revenues that have accrued to your administration in only six years is in excess of N982 billion?
This is made up of statutory allocations to the state government and the 27 local governments; major loans including a foreign loan of USD60 million under RAMP; domestic commercial loans; indebtedness to personnel (both serving and retired); pensions and other emoluments; indebtedness to local contractors…”