By Ralph Christopher
The Imo State Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, has opened up on why he is beefing with his predecessor, Sen. Rochas Okorocha.
Their rift started almost immediately Uzodinma too over the Douglas Road Government House, Owerri and there seem to be no love lost between the two All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains up till now.
Uzodinma claimed that the rift was because he refused to grant Okorocha’s request to halt the probe pannels set up by his immediate predecessor, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, to probe Okorocha’s administration.
Ihedioha’s Transition Committee had uncovered what they described as mindless looting of the Imo State property by the relations and inlaws of former Governor Okorocha, including seats, canopies, cutleries and other valuables, some of which were allegedly hidden in warehouses and several unlikely places.
Uzodimma speaking at a caucus meeting of the All Progressive Congress (APC) which he convened at the Government House, during the weekend, gave several reasons why Sen Okorocha has not said anything about his administration.
He gave a scorecard of his administration since January 15th stating that Okorocha requested him to allow the Chief Daniel Nwafor-led faction of the APC to continue.
The governor said he refused to grant the request on the dissolution of the panels because the people of Imo state demands accountability from Okorocha in the eight years that he was governor.
He said: “There were two requests Okorocha made to me when I became governor. The first was to dissolve the panels set up by ihedioha to probe his administration.
“I refused to grant the request because as I told him also that I think the mode of Imo people was in support of the probe.
“Then he made a second request of allowing Dan Nwafor to remain the chairman of APC in the State, I declined and told him to allow the party and the laws of the land settle the issue in accordance with the rules of justice”.
The meeting was APC leaders, including the former deputy governor during Okorocha’s administration, Prince Eze Madumere, and several aggrieved members of the APC except Okorocha and Sen. Ifeanyi Araraume.
