Eight days to his inauguration as governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha has raised an alarm that the outgoing governor, Rochas Okorocha, has not released one kobo for the ceremony.
The governor-elect raised the alarm in a statement issued, in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Tuesday, by Ray Emeana, the secretary of Ihedioha’s inauguration and handover committee.
Emeana, also the secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, said that Okorocha had refused to finance the inauguration activities.
The governor-elect also debunked claims by the outgoing governor that he had released N150million to his inauguration and handover committee for the May 29, 2019 programme.
Here are excerpts from the statement:
“Governor Rochas Okorocha has not released any money to the Emeka Ihedioha Inauguration Planning and Handover Committee.
“For the avoidance of doubts, Governor Rochas Okorocha and his outgoing government have not released any money to the Inauguration Planning and Handover Committee. The committee has not requested for any money either. Rather, the joint committee made up of the 31–member Ihediohia team and the 21–member Rochas Okorocha team met and adopted common resolutions on how best to proceed with the inauguration activities. Rochas Okorocha has since abandoned the mutual resolutions and proceeded with his “Internet-based Commissioning of Internet Sited Projects.
“Conscious of the importance Imo people attach to the May 29, 2019 handover date, the Ihedioha/Irona inauguration committee has proceeded with arrangements to deliver a world-class inauguration to Imo people come May 29, 2019.
“Arrangements to ensure this delivery include such activities such as providing clean environments within and around event venues including the Dan Anyiam and Grass Hoppers Handball stadia.
“Indeed, Imo is already agog with excitement. Currently, Owerri is the destination of choice for prominent Nigerians at home and in the diaspora. The hotels are fully booked. Flights into Owerri are filled up. The venues for the various programmes are wearing new and fresh looks.
“We can understand the frustrations of Governor Okorocha and the remnants of his e-rats, having realized that their efforts to derail the swearing-in of His Excellency, Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha and Hon (Engr) Gerald Irona as Imo State Governor and Deputy Governor respectively have failed woefully.”
