Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has accused the governor-elect, Emeka Ihedioha, of impersonating him. He said for Ihedioha, who was announced winner of the governorship election in the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Owerri, to be acting as governor and conducting activities meant for a sitting governor, is impersonation.
In a statement signed by Sam Onwuemeodo, his Chief Press Secretary, Okorocha advised Ihedioha to maintain certain level of decorum or decency.
The governor said for the governor-elect to set up a Transition Technical Committee of 139 members and the Governorship Inauguration Committee of 323 shows he does not even know what the governorship of a state is all about.
He said: “He, therefore, needs some tutorials in that regard.
“In less than 30 minutes after the reported fire incident at the Imo airport, Ihedioha rushed to the airport to inspect the extent of damage caused by the fire and also issued directives to the management of the airport.
“Did he do that in his capacity as what? Is he the governor of the state? And the speed with which he rushed to the airport was suspicious, perhaps, he knew what caused the fire incident because as a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) man, there is no part in any movie they cannot act, including acting like James Bond (007).
“He was in the House of Representatives for 12 years and ended up being the deputy speaker of that Green Chamber. The PDP was also in power in the state from 1999 to 2011. Yet, they could not erect one structure at the airport. It took Okorocha for the airport to be made international cargo airport, with all the needed facilities on ground at the moment.
Meanwhile, Ihedioha has assured the people that his administration is determined to rebuild the state to what it is supposed to be from what it is now.
Also, former governors of the state, Chief Achike Udenwa and Dr. Ikedi Ohakim said Imo State had been ravaged in the last seven and half years of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration led governor Okorocha.
Ihedioha said this, on Monday, while inaugurating members of the committee charged with planning the inauguration of the governor elect on 29 May.
“On Wednesday April 3, 2019, I had the privilege of inaugurating a transition technical committee, an assemblage of some of our best brains, who are individually accomplished in their careers, to help us prepare a road map for governance, based on the manifesto and plans we put before our people and feed back we received from our people during the campaigns.
“The unparalleled support and enthusiasm we’ve received from eminent Imo sons and daughters have been humbling and, indeed, challenging. I appreciate the sacrifices they are making as they have since started work in earnest.”
In a related development, Okorocha has promised his critics that he will account for every kobo spent during his administration.
His statement came on the hills of the controversial N17 billion allegedly withdrawn from the state’s treasury few months to the general election by his administration.