By Valentine Amanze
The Imo State government has denied any involvement in the sealing by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of various properties belonging to the former Governor Rochas Okorocha, and his family, which, according to the ex-governor, include; Rochas Foundation College and the East High College and Academy, both in Owerri, among other investments.
The former governor had accused the state Governor, Chief Emeka Ihedioha CON, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of conniving with the commission to witch-hunt him and his family.
But in a statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Chibuike Onyeukwu, the state government reminded Okorocha that neither Ihedioha nor PDP had control over the EFCC, and therefore could not witch-hunt him with the agency.
It stated: “For emphasis, this administration is founded on the respect for rule of law and due process and therefore would not stealthily petition or engage in a clandestine war against ex-governor and family. It would be recalled that Governor Ihedioha has since set up committees that are looking into the various actions undertaken by the past.”
It would be recalled that the EFCC had, before the inauguration of this administration, begun a probe of the former governor over issues of misappropriation of the state’s funds, including; Bailout funds, Paris Club Refund, Local Government Fund and other financial crimes.
The state government further stated that the EFCC had made public the freezing of a bank account, with a balance of over N5 billion, operated by the past administration as a result of fraudulent activities.
It asked: “Could Governor Ihedioha have influenced this action?”
Besides, it advised ex-governor Okorocha and members of his family, not to divert attention from the probe by EFCC, but to dutifully assist the commission in its investigations, with a view to clearing themselves of the weighty allegations of malfeasance and misappropriations levelled against them by the anti-graft agency and leave the state government out of their travails.