‘Critics Of Imo Govt Are Not Sincere’
How do you react to the recent Supreme Court judgment on Imo governorship election that upheld Governor Rochas Okorocha?
I was not surprise with the judgment likewise majority of Imo indigenes because Okorocha won the election. There is no doubt about it. Based on Okorocha’s track record in office, it was clear even before the election that his second term was guaranteed. The voters voted for him en masse during the poll as a reward for the good governance he has provided in the state.
Remember that Okorocha became the governor of the state at a time the state was in dire need of a leader that would rescue the state. The impact of his rescue mission programmes have been everywhere in the state in last four years. It has impacted positively on the lives of the ordinary people in the state. When PDP decided to challenge the outcome of the election, I saw it as a democracy in action. Now that the apex court has upheld the election, our brothers in PDP should join hand with Okorocha government to move the state forward.
Many are of the view that Buhari’s government lacks policy direction, do you agree?
I have to say that I am highly pleased to be part of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by President Muhammadu Buhari. The reason is not far- fetched. If you have noticed it, the security challenges facing the country has come drastically and things are moving gradually since Buhari assumed office.
Buhari’s government is addressing the enormous challenges it inherited gradually, steadily and systematically. The government will take us to the Promised Land. Everybody is being very cautious. Every promise Buhari made to Nigerians, he is keeping them including submission of the list of ministerial nominees. Buhari is a listening president.
We are happy about the calibre of people the president pick as ministerial nominees. They are men and women of integrity like the President himself. I doff my cap for the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his men for the job done so far.
How would you assess successive governments in Imo state since 1999?
I have served two successive governments in the state and I am serving the third one now. Human beings are different. Standards are different. Everybody has his style, skills and competences, even as governor. I enjoyed working with my previous bosses namely Gov Achike Udenwa and Gov Ikedi Ohakim who had their visions. But I think I like the leadership qualities of Governor Rochas Okorocha and I like everything about him. I like his love for the poor masses
There have been criticisms of non-performance against the present government in the state, do you agree?
Critics of Okorocha’s government are not sincere. They are hypocritical and political for reasons best known to them. But the bottomline is that majority of the people are happy with his performance so far.
What made me to join the government was the passion I saw in Okorocha to serve Imo people. He is a governor and in less than four years, he is building one school in each electoral ward in Imo State. In my local government, Nkwerre, the government is constructing 10 buildings. The government has built 21.3 kilometer road in my local government area.
The government is building 25 new mega general hospitals. This is a governor that promised Imo people free education from primary school to university level. He has not only fulfilled it, he has also extended the gesture to non-indigenes in the state.
This is in line with what he has been doing as a private person by training people in about six schools across the country under Rochas Foundation.
Imo Concorde hotel was in a mess when the governor came into office, but today it is almost like a seven-star hotel.
If you go to every senatorial zone in the state, he is building a brand new stadium. In Okigwe, the government is building a new stadium. The governor wants to turn the state to a mega city.
In Orlu, the roads have been dualised and solar powered streetlights installed. The government has taken development to every part of the state, despite opposition from few people. The government is also reactivating most of the ailing industries in the state. Just recently, NDIC came to Imo to give back to us Raisin and Paints Industry, Aboh Mbaise and Paper Packaging Industry, Owerre Ebiri, that were sold by the previous governments.
The NDIC liquidated and wanted to sell them off, the governor quickly renegotiated with them and repurchased the industries in the name of the state government. These industries will employ about 5,000 Imolites when reactivated and come back on stream.
The government convinced the Federal Government to commence the converting of Imo State Airport to International Cargo Airport.
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1 Comments
I just read this and it completely contradicts what I met in Imo State during my visit last week.
In as much as I supported the re-election of the Governor, I really cannot say if there’s anything he has gotten right since the re-election. The State seem to be going to ruins.
We will review and take appropriate action.