By Valentine Amanze
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Imo State, and human rights activist cum musician, Charles Oputa (alias Charlyboy) have condemned the unveiling of the N500 million statue of Jacob Zuma, the South African President, in the New Owerri at the weekend.
The PDP Publicity Secretary in Imo State, Damian Opara, said that honouring the South African leader in Imo State was sacrilegious, stressing that Zuma was facing about 23 corruption charges in South Africa.
He flayed the Rochas Okorocha-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government for being insensitive to the plight of its subjects.
He wondered why Okorocha would honour a leader, whose subjects were killing Nigerians in South Africa, noting that it was curious how Zuma sneaked in and out of Owerri without the knowledge of President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to him, Okorocha has brought hardship with his wasteful spending in Imo State, asking, how could the governor be managing the state with his foundation – Rochas Okorocha Foundation?
His words: “There are no good roads, workers and pensioners are not being paid, yet Okorocha was busy flying Zuma in an helicopter because he refused to rehabilitate both the federal and state-owned roads. How can he agree on a work relationship between Rochas Okorocha Foundation and Jacob Zuma Foundation, when he is still the governor of Imo State?
“Imo State government has become a family affair under Okorocha; no commissioners; his wife is in-charge of amnesty programme; his inlaw, Uche Nwosu, is the chief-of-staff; while the ministers from Imo are all his inlaws,” he said.
Opara, while calling on Imo citizens to vote out the APC government in the 2019 general election, wondered why Okorocha has refused to conduct local government elections in the state for the past six years.
Also, Oputa popularly called Charlyboy, called on the youths not to allow the state money to be wasted on a statue of Jacob Zuma.
While advocating non-violence, the member of Our Mumu Don Do appealed to “exceptional” youths to engage politicians on the nation’s future.
He said that people in leadership no longer care for their subjects, stressing that people were being corrupted by fear and intimidation.
He also disclosed that while the government was owing workers, that the popularity survey he carried out in the 36 states of Nigeria ranked Okorocha’s government the lowest in performance.
He however appealed to the Imo youths to rise to the challenge and secure their future.