Okorocha has elevated falsehood to state policy —Ex-Gov Ohakim

Former Imo governor, Ikedi Ohakim, has lamented that the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha lacked respect for the office he occupies.

He said if Okorocha respected the office of governor he occupies, “he won’t elevate falsehood to state policy”.

The former governor maintained that the state’s judges are being owed 16 months salaries and vowed to lead a mass protest against the state government if by the end of March the judges are not paid.

Okorocha had during an interaction with newsmen at Imo State Government House on Monday, denied an earlier claim by Ohakim that he was owing judges in the state 16 months salaries.

He had allegedly suggested that his predecessor, Ohakim should be taken to the psychiatric hospital to be examined if he is okay.

But in his response in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Collins Ughalaa, Ohakim insisted on his claim and vowed to lead a mass protest in the state against Okorocha.

The statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to yet another gaffe from Governor Rochas Okorocha during his panic interaction with journalists at the government house, Owerri, on Monday, February 5, 2018, wherein he ran his mouth again like someone suffering from the diarrhea of the mouth, and said that His Excellency Dr Ikedi Ohakim should be taken to the psychiatric hospital for demanding that the honourable judges of Imo State who are being owed 16 months salary should be paid without further delay.

“Okorocha, a man who has no respect for truth went on to claim that the judges are not being owed any salaries and allowances.

“His Excellency Dr Ikedi Ohakim maintains his statement that the honourable Judges are owed 16 months unpaid salaries. Ohakim further maintains that if by the end of March 2018 the honourable Judges are not substantially paid, he would lead a mass protest against the government, even if it means going naked on the streets of Owerri.

“Ohakim owes a responsibility to speak out as a former governor of the state. One of the judges, Honourable Justice Opara, died recently without being paid his entitlement.

“We hereby draw the attention of the Nigerian public to the suit number NICN/OW/58/2017 filed against Governor Okorocha by the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Owerri Branch, wherein they prayed the court, among other things, for “A declaration that the practice whereby the respondents withhold or refuse to pay the sitting judges of Imo State High Court and judges of the Customary Court of Appeal that portion of their remuneration released to the respondents from the Consolidated Revenue Fund is a breach of Oath of Office of the 1at respondent as the governor of Imo State who swore to preserve, protect and not to mutilate it”.

Ohakim further said that Okorocha lacked respect for the office he occupies, “otherwise he won’t elevate falsehood to state policy”.

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He added, “He (Okorocha) for example promised to conduct local government election eight times and failed eight times. This is what a people get when they inadvertently elect dubious characters into office where criminal conspiracy, abuse of office and the people, stealing, misappropriation of funds and financial rot leading to mass poverty become state policy.”

Okorocha had in 2011 general elections defeated Ohakim, who was then incumbent governor of the state.

The former governor has in recent times been making serious efforts to return as the leader of the state and has recently made his aspiration public.

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