By Timothy Ojo
The Peoples Democratic Party, Imo State Chapter, has said that Emeka Ihedioha, former governor of the state, would not stop any effort to probe him.
Current governor of the state, Hope Uzodinma, had set up a probe of N19.63bn “missing” government funds.
On the review of the expenditures of 27 local governments of Imo, the panel set up by Uzodinma demanded an explanation on how N19.63bn was spent.
However, Ihedioha had sought restraint for the panel from the state high court to probe him.
The defendants in the suit are the Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly and the Clerk of the House.
In the statement, Imo PDP chapter said the probe should cover the administration of Rochas Okorocha who was governor from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019.
The Party also said, if Ihedioha was to be probed, it should be on the expenditure of N3.7bn in his administration.
The statement reads, “It is instructive to note that H.E. Rochas Okorocha was the Imo State governor from January 1, 2019 to May 28, 2019. Whereas, H.E. Rt . Hon Emeka Ihedioha was the Imo State governor from May 29, 2019 to December 31st 2019 that the Interim Audit Report covered.
“It should be noted that of the N19.63bn LGA expenditures in question, approximately N16bn was expended between January 1 to May 28 2019, during the administration of Rochas Okorocha. It was only the sum of approximately N3.7bn that was spent by the 27 LGAs between May 29, 2019 to December 31,2019 during the administration of Ihedioha.
“So, effectively it is the expenditure of N3.7bn that the LGAs during the administration of Ihedioha should explain and account for, not N19.63bn as is being claimed and bandied about everywhere, by the current Commissioner of Information acting on behalf of Governor Hope Uzodinma of APC.
“The remaining sum of approximately N16bn should be accounted for by the regime of former Governor Rochas Okorocha.
“It was therefore surprising and smelt of a kangaroo proceedings for the Imo State House of Assembly to purport to invite officials of government during Ihedioha’s period of service to come to the House of Assembly to explain the whereabouts of the so-called missing N19.63bn.
“Indeed, the debate of the motion to investigate the interim audit report at the House of Assembly showed extreme bias and a clear premeditated case of witch-hunt, without any pretense to impartiality and objectivity.”
The statement also clarified that the reason Ihedioha went to court, was to seek justice and not to evade any summon.
