…You’re irresponsible, Imo gov tells Anambra counterpart

…I won’t dignify you with response, Obiano fires back

From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri and Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka

Imo State Governor, Rochas  Okorocha has described Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano’s media attack on him an act of irresponsibility.

Okorocha said his Anambra counterpart does not have to  attack his person to make a point.

This was even as he said Obiano was no match for him in terms of achievement and good governance.

Anambra State governor had said “this is an example of “what a leader should not  be,” in veiled response to a statement by Okorocha that “soon, three other South East governors would be joining the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

Okorocha is the only APC governor in the South East.

In a statement by his media aide, Mr. Sam Onwuemwodo, yesterday, Okorocha noted “with regret, the media attack on his person by Obiano over a harmless statement he made at the APC Stakeholders meeting in Owerri that three governors in the South-East would soon join APC.

“Reacting to Okorocha’s innocuous claim, Obiano said the Imo governor “is an example of what a leader should not be.” That kind of motor park language was unexpected from a governor of a state who answers ‘His Excellency,’ even when the Anambra governor did not explain what he meant by that. In what way was governor Okorocha not an example of what a leader should be?

“That statement didn’t call for insult or any foul language. And, two responsible governors in the zone, Enugu and Ebonyi States governors were quoted to have reacted to Okorocha’s claim and as decent men, made their points without attacking the Imo governor.”

The Imo state governor also noted that the attack on his person by Obiano has authenticated the general impression that he is aggressive and should have been a militant instead of a governor.

‘‘Governor Okorocha’s claim was a healthy one, expected to provoke sound debates, which is the beauty of democracy.

“Governors with ideas and the right exposure gave their polite reactions, but, the one without ideas (Obiano) took to insults. Only men with nothing to offer in terms of ideas take delight in insulting others. Men of ideas do not insult others.’

He challenged Obiano to make public his  achievements as a governor in the last four years as he is not his match in the provision of dividends of democracy.

“Leadership is all about ideas and service.

“Luckily, Obiano has been governor for almost four years while Okorocha has also been governor for five years now.

“Let Obiano publish his achievements in Anambra state even with high IGR, and let governor Okorocha also publish his achievements in Imo.

“Then, we take off from there.”

In a swfit reaction, Obiano said he iss not willing to join issues with Okorocha as the latter was becoming “a loose canon.”

On Okorocha’s comment, calling him (Obiano) an irresponsible man, the Anambra governor said he “is busy with serious state business of development and has no time for frivolities.

His Senior Special Assistant ton Media, Mr. James Eze told Daily Sun, yesterday evening, that the governor “has no wish to join issues with governor Okorocha. We will do that only when we are ready to join issues with loose cannons.”