The bad blood amongst political elites from the South Eastern states of Nigeria took a new dimension on Wednesday as Chief Rochas Okorocha and Willie Obiano, two sitting governors, took to pages of the newspaper to advertise their grievances.
The Imo State Governor accused his counterpart of always being “aggressive”, adding that he would have done better as a “militant” than as a governor.
Excerpts from the statement reads: “Leadership is all about ideas and service. Luckily enough, Obiano has been governor for almost four years while Okorocha has also been governor for five years now. Let Obiano publish his achievements in Anambra State even with high IGR, and let Governor Okorocha also publish his achievements in Imo. Then, we take off from there”.
“As governor, Okorocha came up with ideas and popular policies like free education at all levels which has been working well in Imo, Community Government Councils (CGC), Urban renewal programme, Ikuola Nkwu, Imo Air, massive road networks, building of Universities, infrastructural revolution, and so many others, let Governor Obiano mention at least one programme his government in Anambra State is known for, almost four years as governor”.
“We may at this point, Challenge Journalists from the South-East to embark on project tours of Imo and Anambra States and make their findings known to the public. Obiano no doubt, has taken Anambra State several kilometers backward, while in Imo, Okorocha has raised the bar of leadership or governance. To say the least, Comparing Okorocha with Obiano is like Comparing Messi of Barcelona FC with the left wing player of Mberi Secondary in Mbaitoli LGA of Imo State”.
However, in a swift response, Governor Willie Obiano described the Imo State Governor as a shameless son who is spitting on his father’s grave.
He stated that Governor Okorocha is an example of what a leader should not be. He talks of ideas when he cannot pay workers salaries and now tries to intimidate Imo retirees to forfeit 60 percent of their arrears of their sweat, he said.
Obiano said: “The attention of the Media Directorate of the Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano has been drawn to the gratuitous diatribe by a fellow South Eastern Governor, Rochas Okorocha of Imo State against his person and the government of Anambra State.
“It is not in our tradition to respond to such issues but since silence in the face of such grave claims often amounts to guilt, we are therefore duty bound to make our position known to properly guide the public.”
Okorocha had in a statement on Tuesday signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo described Obiano as “a clueless and aggressive governor who should have done better as a militant than as a governor”.
Obiano wondered what cluelessness meant to Okorocha if his ( Obiano’s) administration which “has dazzled Nigerians with superlative achievements would be referred to as clueless”.
He said, “If a governor that has constructed countless number of roads and bridges, embarked on several rural electrification programmes, constructed uncountable number of schools, and health facilities as well as rid the entire Anambra State of crime and criminalities, is being termed clueless by Okorocha then there must be another meaning for cluelessness.
“Okorocha is widely known for his questionable past which has continued to trail him despite his hogwash attempts to cover it up with a facade of his bogus but empty philanthropic activities. Many people have over time seen through his tricks.
“Indeed Okorocha is an example of what a leader should not be. He talks of ideas when he cannot pay workers salaries and now tries to intimidate Imo retirees to forfeit 60 percent of their arrears of their sweat.
“Are those the kind of ideas we need at this critical time? Those are destructive ideas, and a destructive idea cannot bring about constructive ends.
“This is a Governor who has failed woefully to pay workers salaries. He is also heavily indebted to even pensioners who have spent their youth and strength to labour for the state, in their old age.
“As Nigerians ruminate on this matter, the question should be asked: What was Okorocha before he became governor? What was his visible source of income?”
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