PRESS RELEASE FROM FMR.GOV OKOROCHA'S MEDIA OFFICE

PRESS RELEASE 

SUBJECT: IMO STATE GOVERNMENT IS BEHIND THE INVASION OF THE IMO STATE COLLEGE OF NURSING & MIDWIFERY OGBOKO BY ARMED YOUTHS WHO CAME IN BUSES ON FRIDAY 

-GOVERNOR IHEDIOHA IS BENT ON DESTROYING ALL THAT HIS PREDECESSOR DID, THEREBY SETTING A VERY BAD PRECEDENT

-HE SHOULD STOP BANDITRY OR LAWLESSNESS HIS GOVERNMENT HAS ENTHRONED IN THE STATE  

-AND WE CALL ON THE POLICE TO BRING THE INVADERS TO BOOK

On Friday, June 21, 2019, armed Youths who came in twelve buses stormed the College of Nursing and Midwifery Ogboko, the home-town of the former governor of the State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and brutalized the students, threw their belongings out, stole their phones, vandalized the College properties including the College bus and locked the gate of the Institution after they had chased the whole students away.

Obviously, the invaders were sent by the State Government and that was twenty-four hours after the Secretary to the Government of Imo state, Uche Onyeaguocha had, in a letter dated June 20, 2019 and addressed to the Provost of the College, to bring all the students and activities of the College to the College of Health Okporo, Orlu, which is now a Campus of the Imo State University.

The letter was dated June 20, 2019, and by June 21, 2019 the armed Youths which the Security Personnel at the College claimed that most of them were speaking Mbaise dialect, had invaded the College and chased the students away after they had beaten them and locked the place. In the letter under reference, Mr. Onyeaguocha did not state the reason for the government’s action.

Since his inauguration on May 29, 2019, Governor Ihedioha has been busy destroying some of the projects the former governor left behind and doing all within his reach to blackmail his Predecessor and exercising high level of clannishness.

He reversed the University sited at Ohaji/Egbema which its Operational Licence had been gotten and every machinery put in place for its smooth take-off and returned the Imo State Polytechnic without sitting down to look at the wisdom or vision behind that lofty initiative by the former governor, because the Ohaji/Egbema people voted for AA in the last governorship election.

He has also taken steps to close the Eastern Palm University just to erase the footprint of Okorocha on his prime projects. He has equally blocked the two flyovers built by Okorocha that have been in use for more than four years before his coming and claiming that he closed them to save lives. And had also told the world lies about the brand new Government House Rochas Okorocha left behind, and has renamed Imo Trade and Investment Centre, Ahiajioku Centre.

He has also blocked the two tunnels also built by Okorocha on the excuse that they are no more safe. These tunnels have been in use for more than five years. He has returned traders to the relocated Ekeukwu Market site and has converted the Somto Hospital into shops. He has also announced his plan to bring back keke to the State Capital. Today, it is the College of Nursing and Midwifery Ogboko.

Governor Ihedioha having been cowed by Okorocha’s achievements or footprints, thinks that the best way to discredit these projects and the man behind them is by destroying all of them. He does not care about the wisdom or vision behind these projects.

Uptil now, the government has not condemned the invasion of the College. And they have never issued a statement to inform Imo people on the invasion or the reason for the closure of the College. He had earlier descended on the Akachi Tower, but later denied involvement following the general outcry their invidious action attracted.

It is unfortunate that Governor Ihedioha has begun so early in the life of his administration to display high degree of vindictiveness and clannishness. Imo people would have needed a governor as non-clannish and non-vindictive as Rochas Okorocha to succeed him and not Ihedioha whose vindictive and clannish dispositions are known to all.

Rochas Okorocha built the University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala and repurchased the Resin Paint Industry in Aboh Mbaise and gave it to Sky Run Company that produces electrical gadgets. And Ihedioha is from Mbaise. Owelle also built Ahiara Mbaise Polytechnic and sited a General Hospital at Mbutu which is Ihedioha’s electoral ward.

We again want to call on Governor Ihedioha to begin to govern Imo State because since May 29, he has only been carrying out vendetta actions which cannot be said to be governance.

We also call on the Police in the State to halt the lawlessness Governor Ihedioha and his senior appointees have unleashed on the State all in their fruitless efforts to eclipse all that Owelle Okorocha achieved for the State.

Sam Onwuemeodo

Special Adviser (media) to the former governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha