Uzodimma opens up on beef with Okorocha

Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma, at last has broken his silence on why he fell out with his predecessor, Rochas Okorocha shortly after he assumed office in January.

He revealed that his refusal to grant the request of Okorocha to stop all the pannel set up by Emeka Ihedioha to probe his administration elicited the current distance between both of them.

Uzodimma who made the startling revelation during a caucus meeting of the All Progressive Congress (APC) slated at his instance at the Government House, Owerri at the weekend said to be the first after eight years also unveiled other reasons why Okorocha has been silent about the present administration.

While seizing opportunity of the meeting to give a scorecard of his administration since it was sworn in on January 15th this year he further disclosed that Okorocha made a request to him that he should allow the Daniel Nwafor led factional chairman of the APC in the State to continue because of his presidential ambition.

But he said he refused to grant Okorocha’s request on the dissolution of the panels because he believes that people of the State wanted him ( Okorocha) to be held accountable for his 8 years of governance in the State which he said they believe was not beneficial to them.

“There were two requests Okorocha made to me when I became governor.  The first was to dissolve the panels set up by ihedioha to probe his administration. I refused to grant the request because as I told him also that I think the mode of Imo people was in support of the probe.

“Then he made a second request of allowing Dan Nwafor to remain the chairman of APC in the State, i also declined and told him to allow the party and the laws of the land settle the issue in accordance with the rules of justice,” Uzodimma affirmed.

The meeting was said to have witnessed almost all the big names in the party including Okorocha’s former deputy, Eze Madumere, and majority of the aggrieved members of the party except Okorocha and senator Ifeanyi Araraume.

Our correspondent observed that the meeting might have opened a new chapter for harmony again among the members. (The Sun)