Governor Chief Willie Obiano of Anambra State on Wednesday described the Imo State Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha as a shameless son who is spitting on his father’s grave. Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Strategic Communication and Legislative Matters, Prince Oliver Okpala, in a statement, Obiano called Okorocha “a motor park governor.” Okorocha had in a statement on Tuesday signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo described Obiano as “a clueless and aggressive governor who should have done better as a militant than as a governor”.
Obiano’s statement reads in part, “The attention of the Media Directorate of the Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano has been drawn to the gratuitous diatribe by a fellow South Eastern Governor, Rochas Okorocha of Imo State against his person and the government of Anambra State. It is not in our tradition to respond to such issues but since silence in the face of such grave claims often amounts to guilt, we are therefore duty bound to make our position known to properly guide the public.
“If a governor that has constructed countless number of roads and bridges, embarked on several rural electrification programmes, constructed uncountable number of schools, and health facilities as well as rid the entire Anambra State of crime and criminalities, is being termed clueless by Okorocha then there must be another meaning for cluelessness. Okorocha is widely known for his questionable past which has continued to trail him despite his hogwash attempts to cover it up with a facade of his bogus but empty philanthropic activities. Many people have over time seen through his tricks.
“Indeed Okorocha is an example of what a leader should not be. He talks of ideas when he cannot pay workers salaries and now tries to intimidate Imo retirees to forfeit 60 percent of their arrears of their sweat. Are those the kind of ideas we need at this critical time? Those are destructive ideas, and a destructive idea cannot bring about constructive ends. This is a Governor who has failed woefully to pay workers salaries. He is also heavily indebted to even pensioners who have spent their youth and strength to labour for the state, in their old age. As Nigerians ruminate on this matter, the question should be asked: What was Okorocha before he became governor? What was his visible source of income?”
Meanwhile in a sharp reaction through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, in Owerri, yesterday,Gov. Okorocha said: “That kind of motor park language was unexpected from a governor of a state who answers His Excellency, even when the Anambra governor did not explain what he meant by that. In what way was Governor Okorocha not an example of what a leader should be? Governor Okorocha’s claim was a healthy one, expected to provoke sound debates, which is the beauty of democracy. Governors with ideas and the right exposure gave their polite reactions, but the one without ideas (Obiano) took to insults.
“Only men with nothing to offer in terms of ideas take delight in insulting others. Men of ideas do not insult others. Leadership is all about ideas and service. Luckily enough, Obiano has been governor for almost four years while Okorocha has also been governor for five years now. Let Obiano publish his achievements in Anambra State even with high IGR, and let Governor Okorocha also publish his achievements in Imo. Then, we take off from there. As governor, Owelle Okorocha came up with ideas and popular policies like free education at all levels which has been working well in Imo, Community Government Councils (CGC), urban renewal programme, Ikuola Nkwu, Imo Air, massive road networks, building of universities, infrastructural revolution, and so many others.
“Let Governor Obiano mention at least one programme his government in Anambra State is known for, almost four years as governor. We may at this point, challenge journalists from the South-East to embark on project tours of Imo and Anambra and make their findings known to the public. Obiano, no doubt, has taken Anambra State several kilometres backward, while in Imo, Okorocha has raised the bar of leadership or governance. To say the least, comparing Okorocha with Obiano is like comparing Messi of Barcelona FC with the left wing player of Mberi Secondary in Mbaitoli LGA of Imo State.”
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