N214b LGA Funds: Okorocha Damns Uzodinma Panel A Witchhunt

By Ayodele Oluwafemi

The former governor of Imo state, Senator Rochas Okorocha has rejected the report of the panel that indicted his administration and that of his successor, Emeka Ihedioha for allegedly misappropriating over N214 billion of local government funds.

Remarkably, Okorocha exonerated Ihedioha as he alleged that the report of the panel was wholly directed at him by his fellow All Progressives Congress, APC successor, Governor Hope Uzodinma.

Recall that a panel led by Chief Eze Duruiheoma (SAN) submitted a report to Governor Uzodinma, in which the sum of N214 billion was allegedl to have been misappropriated or declared missing between 2011 and 2019 from local government funds.

Reacting to the panel’s report, Okorocha, in a statement, signed by its Special Adviser on Media, Sam Onwuemeodo, claimed that the report was hurriedly written from the bedroom of Duruiheoma, the panel’s chairman.

Part of the statement reads:

“To cut the long story short, let Chief Duruiheoma or the State Government, which the report was submitted to, publish it verbatim so that Nigerians of good spirit can see the extent people can go, to witch-hunt or blackmail their target.

“What Okorocha’s government achieved in the Local Governments of Imo in 8 years, the past governments, from May 29, 1999 to May 29, 2011 and the governments after him, put together, cannot and will not achieve one-third of them. We have made this provoking claim with alacrity. And we are waiting to be contradicted, or challenged.

“We won’t help them by listing Okorocha’s achievements in the 27 Local Governments in the State within the periods under review. Let them publish the report as submitted and let Nigerians read it and know who is saying the truth. For more than one year, Imo people have been waiting to see what those after Okorocha have in store for them, but have not seen anything.

“Since Okorocha approached a Federal High Court to complain that the issues for which the EFCC have been investigating him, are the same issues being probed by the numerous probe panels in the State, most of them have hurriedly “panel beated” all the blackmails into written “reports” and have been submitting them with speed. But, “for by strength Shall no man prevail” (1 Samuel 2:9).

“Okorocha had governed Imo for 8 years and did what he felt was the best for the State. And he is waiting to see his records of achievements beaten or surpassed by another government and we take off from there.

“And you do not expect a former PDP Chairman in Imo to turn in a favourable report on Okorocha, who displaced the Party (PDP) from the Douglas House since 2011 till date. And those who have also found these witch-hunting Panels useful, should count their teeth with their tongue.”

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