Alleged Fraud: Imo Govt insists on probing Ihedioha

By STANLEY UZOARU, Owerri

The Imo State government has insisted that it would probe the immediate past governor of the State, Emeka Ihedioha over allegations of fraud during his administration.

Briefing journalists yesterday in his office, the State commissioner for information and strategy, Declan Emelumba, explained that the government is just waiting for the various panels investigating the former governor before it commences its probe.

This is even as the State Government said it awaits the Whistle blowers N78 billion petition before the State House of Assembly.

Emelumba noted that the recent petition to the State House of Assembly by a whistle blower accusing Ihedioha of misappropriating state fund has confirmed its stance that the former governor’s desperation to cling to power was motivated by selfish reasons and not for the interest of the people.

Emelumba said: “It is only a man driven by selfishness and avarice that would seek further judicial interpretation of a matter already decided by the Supreme Court in favour of Gov Hope Uzodimma, simultaneously at both a high court and Supreme Court.”

He maintained that since the Supreme Court removed Ihedioha as governor early this year, the former PDP candidate had been engaging in “vile propaganda, subterranean and subversive activities” to see if he can return to power.

According to him, apart from Ihedioha abusing court processes by allegedly filing multiple suits on matters already resolved by the Supreme Court, he also claimed that the former governor had been sponsoring protests against the government of Uzodimma in a bid to portraying it as unpopular.

The Commissioner also accused Ihedioha of using his aide to drop the name of Catholic priest and prophet, Fr Ejike Mbaka, claiming that he prophesied the sacking of a South East Governor this year, which Mbaka has unequivocally denied.

He regretted that unlike Celestine Omehia of Rivers State, Prof Osunbor of Edo and Chris Ngige of Anambra, who were removed by the Supreme Court and accepted their fate, Ihedioha, he claimed, has been obdurate and recalcitrant “as if the office of Governor of lmo State is his birthright.”

“It is now clear to Imo people why Ihedioha wants to cling to power. He wants to escape justice as questions are being asked about the whopping sums of money he cannot account for. Above all, he wants to raise funds to continue with his billion naira projects which have been stalled since his removal as governor,” Emelumba alleged.

Emelumba said it was hypocritical and heartless of Ihedioha to have claimed the rains hindered him from executing road projects when he took over, yet the rain did not stop him from building palatial mansions and estates for himself”.

He noted that unlike Ihedioha who used the rain as an excuse to escape responsibility, Gov. Uzodinma has been executing roads and other projects, the raining season notwithstanding.

He said the clear difference between the two administrations is that whereas the former came to loot and impoverish Imo State, the present is driven by service and altruism.

He said: “Ihedioha as a young man with a political future ought to have moved on after the Supreme Court judgement instead of squandering whatever goodwill he has left on unnecessary and repetitive litigations.

“If truly he is working for the interest of lmo people why this level of desperation and why is he afraid of a probe? These are the questions men of goodwill should ask Ihedioha.”

The commissioner disclosed that the executive arm of government was waiting for the outcome of the various panels investigating the former administration before moving in to recover Imo people’s money from the looters. (Daily Sun)