Group Lauds Onwuliri for Bold Challenge to Okorocha

Washington DC; January 9, 2014: A Washington DC, USA based organization, Imo State Good Governance and Accountability Forum (IGGAF) has welcomed and commended the recent challenge of the Hon Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Viola Onwuliri to Imo State governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha, to fully account for all the monies from the federation account that accrued to the state for nearly three years.

IGGAF in a statement signed and released today by its Communications Director Nze Chiazor, said “we have quietly observed the activities of our two top political leaders, Professor Viola Onwuliri and Chief Rochas Okorocha, and have resisted any attempts to be drawn into undue political wrangling that is commonplace today in our State and indeed Nigeria. While still mindful of that, for posterity we cannot but make our views known on the ongoing challenge to Gov. Okorocha from Professor Viola Onwuliri, to give account of the billions of Naira collected from the Federation Account and the Governor's laughable response to the challenge. In our view and on our score card Her excellency Professor Viola Onwuliri has equipped herself in her job beyond expectations. She has made Imo and alas Nigeria proud, which is a lot more than we can say for the Governor. We welcome and commend her challenge to Rochas, and hereby call on Rochas to produce and publish details of how he spent the allocations in question in at least 3 major Imo newspapers, within 2 weeks.”

IGGAF further said “…that the Governor only agreed to comply with the challenge only if a debate is arranged with 2 previous People Democratic Party governors is ludicrous and a total cop out, creating an appearance of someone with something to hide….Governor Okorocha must know that this cloud of corruption hovering over him will not go away, it is rather thickening and only he can clear the odious cloud.” While the call by Her Excellency Professor Onwuliri on Gov. Okorocha to account for the 140 Billion Naira received from the Federation Account is the most recent, a previous allegation of misappropriation of N26.27 billion left by his predecessor, governor Ikedi Ohakim, in various bank accounts in the state, by The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Imo State chapter, has not been cleared either. Governor Okorocha's administration has within a period of less than 3 years had more visits with the EFCC than all his predecessors combined. IGGAF spokesman, Nze Chiazor added in response to questions, that “Imo State is an endowed state but has had the misfortune of less than stellar leadership, with each succeeding regime worse than previous. If care is not taken Gov. Okorocha may be the first to end up in jail. God help us.”

Ejike A. Arinze
Eastern Arrow News
USA