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Revenue (IGR) and federal allocation, he challenged Ihedioha to mention how the withdrawal was made, whether it was withdrawn in cash or through transfer.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.”
Meanwhile, the Imo State chapter of the PDP, has said there is no hiding place for Okorocha.
The party insisted that the outgoing governor will account to Imo people how he managed their commonwealth in the last eight years.
The state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Damian Opara, who said this, yesterday, noted that Okorocha is yet to explain his outrageous withdrawal of N17 billion, within the last four days.
“We are not surprised that the governor, in his usual smart-by-half attitude, deliberately avoided the serious issues raised by our party, to rather throw tantrums and engage in name calling.
“For emphasis, we insist that, within the last four days, governor Okorocha has made huge cash withdrawals from banks to the tune of N17 billion. And we challenge him to publish the financial status, including a comprehensive statement of account of Imo State, to buttress his defence, as that is the only evidence our party and the good people of Imo State will accept as the truth.”
“Now that Governor Okorocha has shamelessly decided to make mockery of his drowning self, by questioning the capacity, preparedness and astuteness of Emeka Ihedioha, governor-elect, Imo State, we will not in any manner, aid his desperate attempt to divert attention from his ongoing last minute looting spree.”
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