N6BN ISOPADEC FUND: Okorocha faults indictment, says Ihedioha is stranded

Immediate past governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha has refuted the claim by a panel in the state that he diverted N6 billion from the Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC).

A panel set up by Governor Emeka Ihedioha had in its report submitted to the governor claimed ISOPADEC’s N6,044,774,341.37 funds managed by the Okorocha administration could not be accounted for.

But responding in a statement by his media aide, Sam Onwuemeodo, the former governor challenged his successor to go ahead and probe him, saying that he (Ihedioha) had been diverting attention over his motionless government by fighting him.

Okorocha further said that Ihedioha was stranded and argued that if the panel set up by the governor was serious, that it would have invited him or any of the former chairmen or managing directors of the commission under his government for questioning or fact-finding.

Noting that Ihedioha’s focus was to fight him, Okorocha claimed that the Imo State government wrote 32 petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and 15 to the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) against him and his family.

He said what he was able to achieve with ISOPADEC funds in eight years cannot be compared to what the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administrations achieved in 12 years.

“PDP government ran ISOPADEC from a rented three-bedroom apartment close to Winners Chapel Owerri, without electricity and water.

“But, Okorocha came and built a multi-billion naira edifice in a choice area in Owerri as headquarters of ISOPADEC, built the Marine University at Ossemotor in Oguta which was nearing completion, stopped militancy and rehabilitated the militants through empowerment programmes.

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“For almost nine months, the Ihedioha administration appears stranded, with nothing to show that a new government is in Imo and he is diverting attention over his motionless government by fighting Okorocha full-time,” the statement read.

Okorocha then advised Ihedioha to return to the House of Representatives in order to continue his oversight functions because it had become clear that he allegedly lacked the capacity to govern.

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