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Immediate past Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha has insisted that his administration left N 5.7b in a bank account to offset retirees’ entitlements.
Okorocha, who spoke with journalists at his residence in Owerri, maintained that he left the money in an Access bank for the payment of pensioners in the state.
He said, “I kept N5.7b in Access Bank for payment of six months pensions. The money is there. After the initial payment of monthly N1.47b, we verified the actual amount to be N790m monthly.
He also faulted the claim that he owed 80 months pensions in the state before he left on May 29 this year, just as he rejected the state government’s orders on the debt profile of outstanding N30b, maintaining that the judgments were made in bad faith resulting in his refusal to pay then.
“This issue of garnishee order is not true. It is a way of carrying money with people and sharing for election. It is a way of taking away N28b. It does not exist,” he said.
On projects he executed under his administration, which have been described as substandard, Okorocha alleged that agents of the present administration were pouring substances that collapsed the projects only to accuse him of building substandard jobs.
He condemned the demolition of several projects built by his administration, stressing that he was the major target of the panel set to probe him, Achike Udenwa and Ikedi Ohakim and that he did not expect justice from it.
But in a swift reaction, Governor Emeka Ihedioha accused Okorocha of deploying face-saving antics, saying he should stop pushing Imo people to the wall.
Ihedioha stated this in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Chibuike Onyeukwu, noting that Okorocha has been making baseless accusations against Ihedioha, urging him to desist from such.
“We have read reports in the media where Okorocha, in his characteristics manner, made some baseless accusations against the government of the state and Governor Ihedioha,” the statement added.
Ihedioha, therefore, advised Okorocha to show remorse and apologise to the Imo people for his eight years of bad governance in the state.
He also advised him (Okorocha) to return all government property and funds he and his agents allegedly looted and desist from making baseless allegations against him and the state government.
The governor, who said Okorocha was being hunted by his poor performance and misrule in the state, stressed that the former governor should be mindful of his utterances and conducts, and be prepared to take responsibility for their implications.
