Everest Ezihe || Barely one week after Jacob Zuma, the President of South Africa visited Owerri as a special guest to Imo State government, most of the citizens of the State have lampooned Governor Rochas Okorocha of All Progressives Congress (APC) for allegedly using state funds to feather his personal vision and ambition.
Comrade Austin Chilakpu, the State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) told journalists that “Zuma’s Visit which allegedly gulped over N500m from the treasury of Imo State government is a justification that Governor Okorochas is insensitive to the welfare of his people.
This is a state were workers for more than two years now are being paid 70% of their monthly earning due to recession. This is a state were payment of gratuity, leave allowance and other incentives have become an aberration. Yet, the Governor has the mind of engaging in economic jamboree. Imo workers are dying of hardship, yet the state government is pretending as if nothing is happening. We have committed everything to God”.
While Dr. Hillary Ekeh, the Chairman of APC in Imo State applauded the Governor for being visionary and patriotic which he said President Zuma’s visit to the state represents.
According to Ekeh “Most Nigerians are short sighted, yes, the Governor built his statue in the state, is President Zuma not one of the great men in the world? That Imo State government and South African Government have signed MOU by ceding the management of Sam Mbakwe International, Airport to South-African Airline Management for effective and efficient Service delivery is a hallmark of economic transformation to Imo State and Nigeria at large” he assured.
But for Mr. Johnney Ikwugbado, who said he is one of the displaced traders in Eke Ukwu Owerre Market and he hails from Umuelekocha in Umueze/Abazu Ogwa Autonomous Community in Mbaitoli Council area of Imo State “Governor Okorocha represents the biblical 666, the Governor through his urban renewal projects have rendered over 10,000 Imo citizens useless and could not provide an alternative place or places. There is hunger in Imo State, many people have been impoverished, go to rural areas in Imo State, the roads are bad and many communities have been cut off from their ancestral kiths and kins due to erosion.
Governor Okorocha has the mind to spend several millions of Nigeria of Imo Peoples Common Wealth to host a President who have several cases of corruption charges hanging over him. It is unfortunate, Imo people are docile people, is like their men are afraid to speak out, if not” he lamented.
While Prof. Proteus Uzoma of Imo State University, Owerri is of the view that “for Governor Okorocha identifying with President Zuma is enough reason to say that the Governor is corrupt because an adage says show me who is your friend and I will tell you who you are?
To me, it is like Governor Okorocha is not acquainted with history, is he not aware how many Nigerians especially Igbos and Imolites that were extra judicially murdered under the watch of President Zuma in South African?. Is he not equally aware that President Jacob Zuma illegally detained so many Nigerians including Imolites? Why must Governor Okorocha lavish our money on this man called President Jacob Zuma?
Mr. Ndidi Okoli, the Imo State Correspondent of The Nation Newspapers is of the view that most of the People criticizing Governor Okorocha for building a bronze statue and naming a road after President Jacob Zuma of South Africa may be ignorant of the Governor’s vision concerning Africa and its politics.
Okoli enjoined Imo people to applaud the Governor instead of lambasting him noting that the visit will ameliorate political and economic ties between Nigerian and South African government.
However, Barr. Uche Onyeagocha disagrees with Okoli insisting that Governor Okorocha should be prosecuted for economic sabotage for allegedly spending the state fund without legislative backings.
Onyeagocha who represented Owerri Federal Constituency under the platform of APGA between 2003 and 2007 also lambasted the Governor for the statue which he said cost multi millions of naira and re-naming of Senator Athan Ogo road to Jacob Zuma road.
To the human rights activist “This is an insult to Imolites, we have great men like late Chief Kiliwi Nwachukwu, onetime strongest man on earth, late Barr. Sam Onunaka Mbakwe, the first civilian Governor of the Heartland State and he performed creditably very well, ASP Chioma Ajunwa, the first Nigerian to win Olympic gold medal and others, after all, they say charity begins at home. Definitely, at the appropriate time Owelle Okorocha will refund all the state’s funds he spent in frivolities” he assured.
Certainly, Imolites are aggrieved over the lavish hosting of President Jacob Zuma because many of her citizenry are without a job, there is hunger in the land and the level of her youths unemployment is unprecedented.
Many of them considered the hosting and expenses incurred at this point in time as a misplaced priority while ardent supporters of the governor, sees it as part of political and economic bridge building.