Governor Rochas Okorocha’s Commissioner for Finance, Mrs. Ugochi Okoro, has exposed alleged reasons why the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is withholding her principal certificate of return.
Mrs. Okoro, who briefed newsmen in Owerri, the state capital, at the weekend, noted that Okorocha’s predicament is a gang-up by people who is afraid of what he can do with positions given to him.
Recall that Okorocha contested for Imo West senatorial position in the February 23rd Presidential and National Assembly election. He was declared winner by the INEC returning officer, who later raised the alarm that he was under duress while he announced the result.
This, led to withholding the outgoing governor’s certificate of return by the commission.
However, according to the longest serving commissioner in Okorocha’s cabinet, the Imo state governor and the former governor of Abia State and senator-elect, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, will give the people of the South East good representation in the Senate.
She said; “They are waiting to share all the positions in the senate before they can give him his certificate; they know his worth.
“It is only him and Orji Uzor Kalu that can give Igbo people that voice that has long eluded us and that is why they are withholding his certificate.
“What is happening is pure gang-up, but, if this continues, I see more neglect of the South East and for the national chairman, he is just being used as tactics for destruction.”
She, however, frowned at the uncomplimentary remarks thrown at governor Okorocha by some people in the state, describing such comments as “ingratitude despite the achievements of the governor in the state.”
Okoro has also dismissed the alleged N17 billion withdrawn from the state treasury.
She maintained that no such thing happened, and rather urged the people of the state to be grateful for the prudent expenditure of governor Okorocha’s administration.
