By Valentine Amanze, Online Editor
Imo State government has warned the immediate past governor of the state, Senator Rochas Okorocha, to stop distracting Governor Hope Uzodimma.
In a statement issued by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Oguwike Nwachuku, the state government accused Okorocha of using Uzodimma to seek publicity.
The state government lamented: “No day passes without Senator Okorocha trying to use the name of Governor Uzodimma to either seek or divert attention of the public from activities linked to him, most of them reprehensible.
“Senator Okorocha’s recent ordeal where he wilfully broke the law by approaching the Royal Spring Estate belonging to his wife, to forcefully unseal it after the government had legally sealed the place, says it all about his mischievous intention to use Governor Uzodimma’s name to seek public notice.”
The state government also alleged that Okorocha said that he was working in cahoots with the opposition to achieve his political ambition.
“Those who have been reading the lips of Governor Uzodimma since he assumed office in January 15, 2020 know that he is not the type who patronizes agents of violence regardless of the circumstances.
“Unlike Senator Okorocha, Governor Uzodimma views use of agents of violence to achieve whatever purpose as a sign of weakness,” it said.
According to the state government, Uzodimma enjoys the support of Imo youths because he cares more about their future through skill acquisition and education, as against warehousing them as cannon-fodder or dispensible lots for self-aggrandizement as the likes of Senator Okorocha were wont to do.
“Nothing can be as embarrassing and unfortunate as a former governor deliberately flouting the law and instead of facing the reality, he is busy stoking flame with inciting comments he knows are not true representation of what the government of Governor Uzodimma stands for,” it said.
It further said that Uzodimma cherished so much the lives and property of Imolites whose mandate he was holding, stressing, that explained his passion to ensure that security was given pride of place in Imo State.
“No amount of blackmail by Senator Okorocha or collaboration with political opponents of the Imo State government will deter Governor Uzodimma from standing on the oath of office he took regarding the protection of lives and property of the citizenry.
“Rather than go about seeking for unnecessary attention, hallucinating whether he has stopped being Governor of Imo State, and openly undermining the government of Governor Uzodimma, Senator Okorocha should eat the humble pie, face his case squarely with the police on Royal Spring Estate closure and where he thinks higher authorities can be of assistance, approach them with decorum and responsibly.
“If Senator Okorocha really thinks he still has some love to show to the people he governed like an Emperor for eight years, he must start by letting them know of his sincere resolve to collaborate genuinely as a Senator representing them with Governor Uzodimma for the good of Imo State,” it said.
Meanwhile, Governor Uzodimma was meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at Abuja on Tuesday evening on how to resolve the Imo State crisis.