Okorocha: 'I know why Ihedioha wants to destroy me'

Senator Rochas Okorocha who governed the Southeast state of Imo from 2011 to 2019, says he understands why his successor, Governor Emeka Ihedioha, is hell bent on destroying all of the 'good work' he left behind.

Ihedioha and Okorocha have been locked in a battle for supremacy of some sort since the former succeeded the latter on May 29, 2019.

Ihedioha has wasted little time tearing down Okorocha-era statues and monuments, amid widespread allegations that the nation’s anti-graft agency, EFCC, has been dispatched after the former Imo governor on Ihedioha's orders.

Emeka Ihedioha is Governor of Southeast Imo State (Premium Times) Pulse Nigeria

“The Governor Emeka Ihedioha-led PDP government in the state is simply fighting back because of the defeat they suffered in 2011 and 2015 in the hands of Senator Rochas Okorocha”, the senator who represents Imo West in the upper legislative chamber, says in a statement released on his behalf by his spokesperson, Sam Onwuemeodo.

The senator also adds that Ihedioha and his political party PDP “are also playing the politics of how to remain in power in the state having known that they didn’t win the 2019 governorship election because before now, nobody had become the governor of the state with bloated figures from only three out of the 27 local government areas in the state.

“For them too, having known that Imo remains the stronghold of APC in the South-East, they now feel that once APC is destroyed in Imo, the party has been destroyed in the Southeast. That is another major reason for the current hostility against Okorocha, his amazing achievements and APC members in Imo.”

Imo state coffers

Ihedioha has often accused Okorocha of running the state aground, while stopping short of accusing his predecessor of looting the treasury during his reign.

Okorocha however says his administration left N42.5bn in the Imo state coffers.

APC Chairman Oshiomhole hands Okorocha the thumbs up during a function [Otown Gist] Pulse Nigeria

He also alleges that Ihedioha has spent so much time trying to undo his legacies since he assumed the reins, he’s had little time actually getting down to the serious business of governance and has not fixed any bad road stretch since he was sworn-in as governor.

Reacting through his Special Adviser on media, Steve Osuji, Ihedioha told Punch newspaper that Okorocha’s allegations against him are baseless and a figment of his imagination.

“The Imo State Governor is more preoccupied with the challenges of rebuilding the state”, Osuji was quoted as saying.