By Valentine Amanze
Imo State Governor, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, CON, has advised his predecessor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, not to lose sleep over the recent constitution of a Judicial Panel of Inquiry to probe all land transactions in the state from 1999 till date.
The governor was reactingto allegations and claims by Okorocha that the Judicial Panel of Inquiry was set up to witch-hunt him.
But Governor Ihedioha pointed out that it had become the pattern of the former governor to resort to making petty allegations and re echoing his lullaby that he had been a target of witch-hunt.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Chibuike Onyeukwu, the
governor explained that he deliberately avoided the ploy of the former governor to drag his administration to the level of exchange of words just to seek cheap relevance in the media.
Ihedioha also reminded his predecessor that the people of Imo State had already evaluated his performance and their verdict is “condemnation of his irresponsive and irresponsible misgovernance characterized by the unprecedented plundering of the state treasury.”
The governor however restated that he was not witch-hunting Okorocha or any body.
He explained that the timely constitution of the Judicial Inquiry on Lands and other related matters was driven by the ceaseless complaints, petitions and lamentations by citizens of the state of impunity, irregularities and deliberate distortions of the original master plan of the state.
The governor wondered how Okorocha arrived at the unfounded allegations that the panel was on a witch-hunt when the inquiry dates back to Chief Achike Udenwa’s administration.
He said that one might not be wrong to believe that there could be more to such panic reaction from the former governor even when the panel was yet to fully commence its assignment.
He pointed out that he was aware that the incessant vituperation and abuses by the former governor were targeted at distracting him with a view of derailing the rebuilding process in the state.
Governor Ihedioha also declared that he was not on a vendetta mission but on a Rebuild Mission of the State, assuring that no amount of childish tantrums will reverse the trend.
Besides, he reminded Okorocha of his (ex-governor’s) seeming out of touch with recent happenings in the state to the retinue of investors thronging the state courtesy of his (Ihedioha’s) dexterity.
According to the governor, the surge in eager investors and donor agencies is a clear function of his credibility, believability and goodwill he has brought to bear since his inauguration which was non existent during Okorocha’s administration.
Ihedioha restated that his administration was on course and could not be distracted or derailed by such mindless and unfounded allegations which of course were poorly rehearsed and diversionary stunts intended to pull wool over the eyes of Imo people and Nigerians.
He expressed the resolve of his administration to subject to judicious scrutiny, every action that violated the people and the extant laws of the land which is iron clad, stating that the innocent has nothing to fear.