- No plans to issue gov Certificate of Return – INEC
The Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed that there is no hiding place for the outgoing governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to the PDP, Okorocha will be made to account to Imo people how he managed their commonwealth in the last eight years.
This was contained in a statement in Owerri on Sunday by the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Damian Opara.
The party said Governor Okorocha has failed to explain his outrageous withdrawal of N17 billion, within the last four days.
“We are not surprised that the governor, in his usual smart-by-half attitude, deliberately avoided the serious issues raised by our party, to rather throw tantrums and engage in name calling.
“For emphasis, we insist that, within the last four days, governor Okorocha has made huge cash withdrawals from banks to the tune of N17 billion.
“And we challenge him to publish the financial status, including a comprehensive statement of account of Imo State, to buttress his defence, as that is the only evidence our party and the good people of Imo State will accept as the truth.
“Now that Governor Okorocha has shamelessly decided to make mockery of his drowning self, by questioning the capacity, preparedness and astuteness of Emeka Ihedioha, governor-elect, Imo State, we will not in any manner, aid his desperate attempt to divert attention from his ongoing last minute looting spree.”
But Okorocha challenged the governor-elect of the state, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, to probe him when he (Okorocha) leaves office.
The governor said this while debunking recent allegation by Ihedioha and the PDP in that he has already withdrawn N17 billion from the state treasury.
According to the outgoing governor, Ihedioha has every right to investigate even the food he and his family ate in Government House from 2011 to 2019.
The Governor of Imo State, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has challenged the Governor-elect of the state, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, to probe him when he leaves office.
The Governor said this while debunking recent allegation by Ihedioha and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state that he has already withdrawn N17 billion from the state treasury.
According to the outgoing governor, Ihedioha has every right to investigate even the food he and his family ate in Government House from 2011 to 2019.
He described the allegation as unfounded, adding that Ihedioha lacks the capacity to lead Imo State.
Ihedioha had given directives to financial institutions in the state against further transactions with the Okorocha-led government.
The governor-elect also vowed to “recover all properties acquired illegally by governor Okorocha.”
Reacting in a press statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, Okorocha said: “He should also know that with what Governor Okorocha has achieved, Imo people won’t entertain any excuse from him.
“If he likes, let him talk about Okorocha from now till when he will leave as governor. The die is cast. Action speaks louder than words.
“Blackmail or propaganda, which the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) invested heavily in, during the 12 years they governed the state, have become old-fashioned in the state at the moment.
“Ihedioha was contentiously declared winner, on Tuesday, and on Thursday, he came up with the allegation of the government withdrawing N17 billion. He never mentioned how the withdrawal was made?
“Like we said earlier, he is not an intelligent guy. He can’t cope with the challenges of governance.”
On Okorocha’s withheld Certificate of Return, INEC’s National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye on Channels Television programme Sunrise Daily on Monday, insisted that the Commission has not rescinded its order and would not present the certificate to the governor.
He stressed that no candidate, including Governor Okorocha, will be given certificate of return after influencing REC in his states “under duress”.
Asked whether the Commission has reversed its decision on Okorocha’s certificate of return, Okoye said: “We’ve made it clear on why we didn’t present any certificate of return to him (Okorocha).
“If you look at our website, we said that the declaration and return were made under duress and that we are not going to give any certificate to any person or any individual that procured a return under duress.”