“You can investigate the food I & my family ate in the Government House from 2011 to 2019” – Rochas Okorocha tells Ihedioha

Imo Governor, Rochas Okorocha has debunked recent allegation by the governor-elect, Emeka Ihedioha, that he has already withdrawn N17 billion from the state treasury, and dared the incoming governor to probe him.

Governor Okorocha said Ihedioha has every right to Investigate even the food he and his family ate in Government House from 2011 to 2019.

Okorocha, who described the allegation as unfounded, also said Ihedioha lacks the capacity to govern the state.

Ihedioha had earlier given directives to financial institutions in the state against further transactions with the state government and vowed to “recover all properties acquired illegally by governor Okorocha.”

But, Okorocha, who admitted Ihedioha’s “political smartness, said “he does not have the mental or intellectual capacity to govern a highly endowed state like Imo. The guy is just smart politically. And political smartness is different from having the capacity for leadership or governance.”

The governor, who reacted through a press statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, said Ihedioha is only showing signs of early failure by his utterances. While explaining that the state does not have such amount, irrespective of the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and federal allocation, he challenged Ihedioha to mention how the withdrawal was made, whether it was withdrawn in cash or through transfer.

He said: “He should also know that with what Governor Okorocha has achieved, Imo people won’t entertain any excuse from him. If he likes, let him talk about Okorocha from now till when he will leave as governor. The die is cast. Action speaks louder than words. Blackmail or propaganda, which the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) invested heavily in, during the 12 years they governed the state, have become old-fashioned in the state at the moment.

“Ihedioha was contentiously declared winner, on Tuesday, and on Thursday, he came up with the allegation of the government withdrawing N17 billion. He never mentioned how the withdrawal was made? Like we said earlier, he is not an intelligent guy. He can’t cope with the challenges of governance.”