In a bid to feign ignorance and possibly pass the bucks to the incoming administration of Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, the outgoing Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has absolved members of the Rescue Mission administration of any involvement in the alleged massive looting or purported recovery of public property and extortion of money from their victims.
The governor also denied setting up committees on recovery of such public properties through task forces. Instead, the governor heaped all blames on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwarts, in the state who he accused of complicity and collaboration saying, “let us also state that Imo people ought to know who the people doing all these at this time, are. Without mincing words, they are PDP members. All these nauseating activities are their well known, stock in trade. They have gone on rampage and doing so in a very disgusting manner”.
Instead, the governor heaped all blames on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwarts, in the state who he accused of complicity and collaboration saying, “let us also state that Imo people ought to know who the people doing all these at this time, are. Without mincing words, they are PDP members. All these nauseating activities are their well known, stock in trade. They have gone on rampage and doing so in a very disgusting manner”.
In a release made available to us on behalf of the governor,signed by Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, the Rescue Mission government which admitted that it is winding up in less than two months time accused PDP members in the state of extorting money from motorists especially at Mbaise Road, Douglas Road roundabout, Fire Service roundabout, Amakohia, Orji, Fedpoly Nekede junctions, adding, “they seize vehicles from motorists for extortion”.
Onwuemeodo further averred that PDP members are the ones taking away street lights and other installations in the state capital and environs having thrown caution to the winds, insisting that no member of the Rescue Mission can descend so low to steal government property, which Okorocha earlier denied was going on at Government House when 71 vehicles were sold for N6.1million.
“We want to inform Imo people and the general public that we are not behind these illegal Committees on Recovery of Public Property and the task forces. The government of Owelle Rochas Okorocha has not been known for all these cut and nail activities. The PDP people are doing all these. And they know the truth. That is their style.
It is also important to ask our people to resist them because they are illegal. The Security Agencies have also been alerted with regard to all these anomalies. They should wait till May 29 before unleashing terror on our people. They should not hide under the prevailing “Scenario in the State” at the moment to inconvenience our people. Let them wait till May 29, before going haywire”.
In another development, a coalition of associations in the state under the aegis of Imo Good Governance Team (IGGT) led by Prince Chidi Obi has cautioned the outgoing and incoming governors to exercise restraint. In a release captioned, “allow Okorocha serve out his tenure” Obi said this was the resolution reached at an inaugural meeting of the coalition so as to stop the unnecessary tension and distraction building upon the state.
