The Chairman, Igbo Traditional Rulers Forum, HRH, Eze (Dr) Cletus Ilomuanaya, has taken a swipe on ex-governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha, the embattled Senator of Imo West Senatorial District.
Responding to recent invectives poured on the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, by Rochas Okorocha and the subsequent interview at Reach FM Radio Station, Owerri, where the former Governor attempted to whip up sentiments and incite his motley crowd of supporters against the operators of the Rebuild Imo administration, Eze (Dr) Ilomuanya, observed that Okorocha, who he said was on a “self-imposed exile in Abuja” for three months, had returned with sinister motives of trying to truncate the hard won peace in the state.
Addressing media practitioners at a press briefing last Saturday, August 24, 2019, the Chancellor of the Federal University Birin-Kebbi and Obi of Obinugwu, HRH, Eze (Dr) Ilomuanya, described Okorochas conducts and utterances, “as clear indications that he wants to raise armed-militia against constituted authority in Imo State”.
He advised all well meaning Imolites and Nigerians to join in condemning in very strong terms and repudiating such despicable acts of Rochas Okorocha.
Ilomuanya posited that till date, Okorocha remains the worst Governor, Imo State even had, since her creation in 1976. He recalled that as far back as 2013, the South East Council of Traditional Rulers, had barred Okorocha from receiving any chieftaincy title and also stripped him of all the titles earlier conferred on him, following the disgrace he brought to Ndigbo coupled with his desecretion of the Igbo traditional institution.
He also observed that Okorocha was deliberately stoking fire to divert attention from his EFCC probe and to possibly distract Ihedioha, from focus in order to score cheap political points. He counseled the visibly angry and harassed Okorocha to learn to shut his mouth and face his probe.
“We are not oblivious of the horrific activities of Okorocha in the last eight years he held sway as Governor. He set Imo twenty years backwards in all spheres of human developments. He glorified familiocracy, nepotism, thuggery and lawlessness, to unimaginable heights. Under him, Imo acquired very damaging image among States in the federation and thus, became a “pariah state”.
Okorocha destroyed completely the Imo State civil service, made our pensioners vulnerable to alarming high mortality rate. Under Okorocha’s administration, mortuary business became the only flourishing business in Imo as all other business outfits in the State virtually collapsed, while he sent many including petty traders, artisans and labourers to their early graves.
Similarly, the traditional institution and other government institutions became a caricature of themselves. Infact, Okorocha, should hide his face in shame because of what the present government under His Excellency, Governor Emeka Ihedioha is doing just with three months in office, to clean the humongous Augean stable, left behind by Okorocha.
It is advisable to tell Okorocha that rather than engage in a show of irresponsibility, and display of insensitivity to the people he had mis-governed, victimized
For him to have returned from a self imposed exile in Abuja to start disturbing the peace in the State, is absurd and smacks of stupidity. He who lives in glass house must not throw stones.
I am therefore, calling on the Commissioner of Police, Imo State, the Director, Department of State Services (DSS), Imo State and other Security Chiefs in the state to hold Okorocha responsible for any break down of law and order in Imo. Imo traditional rulers might also be compelled to embark on mass protest against the former Governor, if he does not caution himself.
The Governor’s comportment is also an affirmation of his promise that he will make due process and rule of law the guiding principles of his administration. But for this fact, perhaps Okorocha by now would have been dancing to the music he played for himself.
The present administration must be allowed unencumbered to deliver on its realistic promises to Imo people. The administration is barely three months old. I therefore, wonder why Okorocha should be developing hypertension about such a young administration, which means well for Imo people. A demand for accountability of one’s stewardship after leaving office is no crime”, he averred.
Meanwhile, 5000 Imo youths have vowed to stop Okorocha from embarrassing the new government and had asked the Governor to recover all looted funds, properties and lands in Okorocha’s custody, while traditional rulers have concluded plans to protest against Okorocha.
