Okorocha denies demolishing fuel station during tenure

Former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has denied demolishing any fuel station during his tenure.

The denial was contained in a statement issued by his Special Adviser (Media), Sam Onwuemeodo, at the weekend.

His denial came against the backdrop of accusation by the Imo State Government and some Imo people, alleging that the administration he superintended demolished a fuel station owned by a tanker driver, without any compensation, during an urban renewal programme.

The state government, in a statement issued by Special Adviser to Governor Hope Uzodimma on Public Enlightenment, Eze Ochiwar Ugochuwu, had disclosed that there was a court judgment in March, obtained by a private firm, Sunaz Oil Nigeria Ltd., against Timik Consult Ltd and Imo State Government. It said the judgment sought the repayment of over N100 million in compensation to Sunaz Oil Nigeria Ltd.

The failure to repay the judgment debt was said to have made petroleum tanker drivers and the Association of Imo Petroleum Marketers and Dealers embark on a strike last week.

The statement by Okorocha reads: “Senator Okorocha or the government he presided over as governor never demolished any fuel station. And we stand to be contradicted or proved wrong. And the onus to do so is on the shoulder of those who had tried to give that false impression.

“In the past few days, following the strike embarked upon by petrol dealers or marketers in the state, we read and heard stories, including innuendos and insinuations, to the effect that the government of Senator Rochas Okorocha demolished a petrol station and for which dealers in the state had “gone home”, to make the government of the day pay the victim what the judgment on the matter prescribed.

“Indeed, we had earlier read the statement by the Commissioner for Information, Mbadiwe Emelumba, on the development. We equally listened to some radio and online commentaries on the issue.

“In all these, some of them had given the erroneous impression that the government of Okorocha demolished the fuel station, prompting the action of petrol marketers in the state.

“Unfortunately, neither the government nor any of the commentators deemed it necessary to mention the name of the petrol station involved and where it was located. The marketers themselves and the government have also not availed the public with copies of the court judgment in question, to enable interested people to know the nucleus or crux of the matter, at least, for the sake of informed opinions.”