The preparations for the inauguration of the newly elected Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, are generating mild rift in the state as the outgoing Governor, Rochas Okorocha, still insists on being in control of everything. The renovation of the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Oweeri, for the May 29, 2019 ceremony has been a major issue of conflict between the governor and his potential successor.
The Rochas group had raised alarm that Ihedioha’s Inauguration Committee is mismanaging about N150 million released for the inauguration plan. The Committee was accused of using the inauguration fund to paint a section of the Dan Anyiam Stadium with substandard paints.
National Daily learned that the Rochas group protested that the fund was disbursed after the Imo Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Ihedioha group had insisted that they wanted Dan Anyiam Stadium as venue for the inauguration of the Governor rather than the Heroes’ Square which Governor Okorocha had preferred.
The Rochas group had protested: “The PDP and the Ihedioha media team have made several and uncoordinated statements to debunk the report. However, they have failed to tell us how they got the money to carry out the shabby renovation work they are doing at the stadium.”
The Rochas group further protested: “The truth is that the Constitution of Nigeria does not recognize two governors for a State at a time. There can only be one governor at a time and any work done on public places within a given time is entirely the responsibility of the governor who is in power at the time of that job.
“Given that the Dan Anyiam Stadium is a property of the Imo State Government and His Excellency, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, is the governor of Imo State till this moment, the argument by the Ihedioha camp that the money did not come from the government amounts to nought as it is baseless.”
They argued that Ihedioha who could not renovate the market in his backyard or effect repairs on potholes that riddled the road that leads to his house in the village, even when he was in the House of Representatives for 12 years, cannot convince any reasonable Imolite or any observer, that he is using personal funds to effect repairs on the stadium, even when there are at least 10 other venues where the swearing in ceremony can take place.
National Daily gathered that some of Ihedioha’s henchmen have also argued at different fora that the renovation project is being carried out by a company under an IOU arrangement; adding that Ihedioha has promised to pay the company a certain amount of money as soon as he takes over as governor on May 29t, 2019.
The Rochas group countered that the argument is also out of place and illogical as Ihedioha’s signature has no value anywhere in the world, if he signs it as governor of Imo State before May 29th. The incumbent governor’s group maintained: “It is not refutable that every pin used at the stadium or anywhere else during the inauguration or any activity leading up to the inauguration of the governor is fully sponsored by the government.
It would appear that Govenror Okorocha is feeling uncomfortable that his activities are being claimed by ihedioha who is yet to be inaugurated.
“Whatever money written off with regards to that is the money of Imo State people and they deserve to know how much is being expended on such unnecessary jamboree.”
The group chided Ihedioha for the alleged approval of about N150 million for the repainting of a stadium for inauguration.