Gov. Rochas Okorocha.
The President,
Commander – in- Chief of the Armed Forces,
Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Aso Rock Villa,
Abuja.
Your Excellency,
IMO STATE IS UNDER SIEGE: COME TO THE AID OF THE PEOPLE BY CALLING GOVERNOR OKOROCHA TO ORDER.
PREAMBLE:
Barely one year after his re-election for a second term in office, Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo State is depicted as sitting on a cone of privileged orders with his chorus singers while a lava of mass resentment flows underground. Political pundits are quick to predict that unless something drastic happens to restore Governor Okorocha’s stability and reconnection with his fellow Imolites, a social volcanic eruption may occur and the centre can no longer hold.
Okorocha has grown so big above his subjects that he spends more time flying around the globe, Abuja and Lagos in chartered private jets.
Yes he can afford to foot the bill, after all Imo is an oil producing state with a fat monthly allocation from the Federal Government. Inspite of this reality however, Imo State is alleged to be financially insolvent.
2. CONTEMPT FOR DUE PROCESS
The Governor is someone who has no modicum of respect for due process or any iota of accountability or even transparency. He sees state money as no different from his personal money. He equally does not see any difference between his private residence and the official Government House residence in Owerri, the Douglas Lodge. Okorocha governs the state of Imo from a Bush Bar, then to SPIBET – a sprawling, massive, expansive and wondrous personal residence of the Emperor. The land is larger than that of any known Federal or State University and the architectural designs of the buildings and estates are of Cathedral and Arabic splendor mixed together. The more than 500 acres of land were acquired from Akwakuma and Mbieri Communities during the first tenure of Okorocha. You may recall Your Excellency, that when you visited the estate during the 2015 Presidential elections, you were shell-shocked to learn that it was Okorocha’s private residence and barely hid your displeasure over such a phenomenon. Okada riders are never allowed close to the vicinity of the sprawling mansions and a mechanic village located near the estate was instantly demolished once Okorocha took hold of the landed properties.
3. IN THE BEGINNING:
How did Governor Okorocha get this far? The people of Imo had a minor disagreement with former Governor Ikedi Ohakim. One thing led to the other and Imo indigenes – youths, women, stakeholders and Elders went out of their way to vote out Ohakim – a difficult and dangerous feat. Imo State is a rare community in Nigeria where unseating an incumbent Governor was simplified and made to look like the chewing of bread. Okorocha benefited from the mass revolt against Ohakim in 2011. He was popularly elected. But sooner than later he began to show his real self – a games man. And the people of Imo had been gamed!
4. BASTARDIZATION OF THE CIVIL SERVICE AND DECLARATION OF WAR AGAINST WORKERS
The first thing he did after he took over office was the destruction and bastardization of the civil service. He publicly announced that: “I do not believe in the use of files or in due process. Due process is due corruption; whenever I wake up, I move where my mind directs me”. He is a smooth talker and rabble rouser. Though a man with little education he was made wise through his apprenticeship with descamisados – a group of shirtless urchins groomed in Northern Nigeria and generally referred to as the Talakawas.
He carried out a number of discreet appointments to subdue the system. His in-law Uche Nwosu, a man who in 2010 failed the 10,000 job test conducted by the Ohakim administration was appointed the Chief of Staff by Okorocha, as a compensation for marrying the first daughter of the Governor. Nwosu has become an instant multi-millionaire and dictates who gets what, how, why, where and when! He inspects road projects. VIPs and Service Chiefs pay him courtesy visits. Paschal Obi- his Principal Secretary was appointed from a position of Assistant Director, whereas such a position is usually picked from amongst serving Permanent Secretaries. His Head of Service, Callistus Okenze was also picked from outside the administrative top brass. He recently betrayed his bankruptcy when called upon to give account of his stewardship as the state’s Head of Service. Instead of talking about his efforts in promoting administrative competence, manpower development and service delivery, he started talking about how he changed rugs, introduced tiles and repainted buildings.
Workers in the state civil service are the worst hit. Permanent Secretaries, Directors and professionals like Doctors, Engineers, Architects and Surveyors are mere spectators. Their jobs have been taken over by Okorocha’s surrogates. Workers were subjected to experimental hunger exercise by being owed over 9-14 months’ salary arrears after which some of their wives and family members went down on their knees. Okorocha dangled some carrots saying their salaries would be paid if they were ready to collect 70% of their salaries (for Ministry staff) and 50% (for Parastatal staff). The workers kowtowed to his antics and he laughed and bragged that he was a political engineer of sorts.
A civil servant in the state who spoke on condition of anonymity described Okorocha as “a man with a garrulous and vulgar nature, whose governance has been characterized by highhandedness, misappropriation of funds and extreme ruthlessness. He has no respect for the standing rules of the service. He has crippled the service and the state as a whole”, he stated.
In Imo State, pensioners are not paid their emoluments. Some pensioners are owed for 26 months while others are owed for between 16 – 20 months. Okorocha introduced his controversial 3- days working policy at a time his Community Government Council (CGC) policy was still raising dust.
He had no alternative than to jettison the obnoxious policies when the workers threatened him with a strike action. He was equally disgraced when he chose to concession all the Parastatals in the state so as to dismiss the workers with impunity and use his proxies to acquire the government companies. It took the intervention of the National Chairman of APC, Chief Oyegun to save him, as the National Leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had concluded arrangements to close up on him and expose him. He was equally disparaged by the workers for the illegal disengagement of 200 workers in Imo Transport Corporation (ITC) and ADAPALM, where he owed the workers about 20 months’ salary.
In a bulletin issued on the 1st of August, 2016, the State Chairman of NLC, Comrade Austin Chilakpu and the Secretary, Comrade Ken Onwuemeodo decried the anti-workers policies and actions of Imo State Government and regretted the severe hardship they imposed on the workers of the state. The NLC leadership queried the State Government’s “directive to pay 70% of June and July salaries, despite the increase in the July allocation of a whopping 7.3 billion, excluding internally generated revenue and Local Government allocation.
On August 23, 2016, the National leadership of NLC embarked on nation-wide protests over unpaid salaries and unfavourable labour practices in 20 states of the Federation. The Imo State, Governor, Rochas Okorocha was singled out alongside Governors Tanko Al-Makura and Samuel Ortom of Nassarawa and Benue States “ for either cutting salaries by 50% or sending civil servants to work on the farm compulsorily”.
The NLC called on President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Labour, Senator Chris Ngige to compel the Governors to stop their obnoxious policy of wage cutting and posting workers to farms. “This protest is to make a point that some of our Governors are becoming slave masters.
They are no more Governors”, said Comrade Issa Aremu, the Deputy President of NLC. The Chairman of NLC in Imo State, Chilakpu during the protest accused the Government of Okorocha of insensitivity to the plight of workers and also of violating agreements reached with the NLC on February 9, 2016.
5. ENCOUNTER WITH GHOSTS AND FRIVOLOUS GLOBE-TROTTING
About two months ago, it was reported in the social media that “one of the leading Governors in the South-East had an encounter with ghosts.
He was slapped by a ghost and was subsequently flown to India, for treatment.
Without any prompting, his Chief Press Secretary Sam Onwuamaedo reacted to the news report, saying that his master (who was outside the country at the time) had gone on economic trip and did not have any encounter with ghosts.
Later on, the Governor himself returned from his trip and said: “we are just coming back from America. We also went to Europe. I went to see my grandson. I have just been blessed with another grandson, making a total of four grand children. I have never been to any hospital — I am more relaxed than ever….”
But a few days later, he confessed by admitting that he went to the land of the dead (ala mmuo), but that former Governor Sam Mbakwe and Evans Enwerem chased him back to go and finish his good works for Imo people.
We do go to other developed countries of the world and we see developments we like. Why can’t we replicate them? What we are doing now is that we are doing an eight lane road on all the streets in Owerri. And that will make it to begin to look attractive for investors.”
6. DILAPIDATED INFRASTRUCTURE: ROADS AND WATER WORKS
The dilapidated condition of the road net-work in Imo State is disturbing. Even the State Capital, Owerri is not exempted. Owerri town and its environs are in a decrepit condition. The decay is palpable and the stench from the gutters unbearable. The terribly bad roads include Orlu Road, Douglas Road, World Bank Road, Port-Harcourt Road, MCC Road, Uratta Road, Okigwe Road, Umuguma Road, Egbu Road, Nekede Polytechnic Road, Old Nekede Zoo Road, Okigwe – Amaraku Road has several water-logged portions, causing gridlocks at the slightest rainfall. From Owerri to Okigwe (a Federal Road) is a horrible sight. Yet Okorocha who arrogantly parades himself throughout Nigeria cannot tar the road and seek repayment from his APC – led Federal Government. The indigenes of Imo have come to regard him as an impostor. “He is a big for nothing Governor,” one of the Imo indigenes told this reporter.
7. CULTURAL ABOMINATION: BULLDOZING OF ANCESTRAL MARKETS, HOUSES AND GRAVES
The only thing Okorocha has excelled in is the demolition of citizen’s houses and the wicked act of relocation of ancestral markets, with their attendant viciousness and punitive impact on the lives of the ordinary people in the streets. He threatened to relocate the Owerri ancestral market located at Douglas Road, Owerri to Egbeada in Owerri West Council Area. He has refused to carry out the inventory of the market, because he does not believe in orderliness. The Landlords and shop tenants should be known before embarking on any relocation so that such people could be properly re-settled. But in Egbeada, Okorocha has already allocated the stalls to his cronies and benefactors. During the regime of former Governor Achike Udenwa, Ogbooshishi was relocated from Owerri town to Naze Timber Shed (Owerri North LGA). People did not protest because there was proper documentation, inventory and resettlement/compensation of the affected persons.
But a prominent community leader from Owerri Nchi-Ise, Chief Edward Okara has said that “Owerri People will remain opposed to the relocation of their ancestral market until Governor Okorocha follows due process”.
Governor Okorocha’s decision to embark on the demolition of people’s residential and business houses along Orji/Okigwe Road, Egbeada/Orji Road, Orlu Road and Egbu Road has become the most painful and excruciating action of his administration. He commanded the bull-dozers to action and they have done a terrible job of increasing the sufferings of several families and the Government does not have compensation in its vocabulary. Okorocha’s regime has become a lion’s den and his propensity for inhuman policies and vexatious acts has heightened tension in the state. Dr. Chuks Osuji, a veteran public relations consultant and National Merit Award Winner told journalists that he will die if his house was pulled down. He appealed to the Governor to be tactful and considerate.
In July 2016, some newspapers reported that some natives of Owerri municipality had cried out about the use of bulldozers by Governor Okorocha to rip open the graves of their loved ones. The earth-moving equipment opened the graves of prominent citizens buried several years ago “prominent among the graves that were opened…was that of the mother of the late traditional ruler of Ihitte Oha community, Eze Onu Egwunwoke – a former two time Chairman of Imo Council of Traditional Rulers and former Chancellor of the University of Jos”, the report stated.
The tomb of the departed Princess was desecrated and caused a stir in the community.
Chief Egenti Anolu from Ihitte Oha in Akwakuma community had described the demolition as an act of wickedness.
Okorocha’s government was alleged to have given only seven days notice to the victims to vacate their homes and shops. Even shops built and owned by the Catholic Church were not sparred.
The homes and business shops of widows were equally demolished.
8. POLITICS OF WITCH-HUNTING OF PERCEIVED OPPONENTS
Okorocha’s bad governance also goes with the witch-hunt of his political opponents. For instance, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho, former Federal Minister and his opponent in the 2015 Guber elections has had his residence along Orlu road, bulldozed.
Meanwhile many citizens of the state have taken Okorocha’s government to court and there are over 250 cases in courts against the regime. Okorocha’s lawless administration has pushed Imo State into a tight corner. The state hovers on the brink of financial bankruptcy. The government’s penchant to award contracts without due process such as budgetary allocations and Ministerial Tenders Boards has started to boomerang. The illegal and illegitimate transactions have created a vacuum in the sense that there are no records and documents to enforce agreements. Many contractors have resorted to court actions and are getting favourable judgments. “There are a total judgment debt and garnishing proceedings in excess of N7billion against Imo State Government”: and there are fears that the figures many rise to N50 billion in the next two years.
On 22nd August, 2016 the immediate past Governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim wrote a letter to Governor Okorocha, titled: “CURRENT TREND OF EVENTS IN OUR STATE”. Ohakim said the objective of his letter was “to draw your kind attention to a dangerous build-up of anger in the state, especially against the backdrop of some of your recent actions as the current Chief Executive.
In the letter, former Governor Ohakim, among other things condemned Okorocha’s road expansion programme and categorically stated that, “you would have been told that Orlu Road, Okigwe/Orji Road and Egbu Road that were dualized by my administration between 2008 and 2010 have reached the maximum permissible limit of expansion, going by the City’s master plan.” He further stated that, “by the indiscriminate excavations now going on as part of your road expansion programme, you are destroying public water pipelines that took Chief Sam Mbakwe’s Administration $34million and four years to lay. It will require billions of naira this time around to replace them if inhabitants of Owerri will ever enjoy public pipe borne water again.
9. ECOLOGICAL CRIMES
Okorocha has equally been accused of accelerating the ecological death of natural waters, rivers and streams in Imo State through the construction of ordinary culverts in Crossing Over Rivers. He did it in the case of Nworie and Otamiri rivers. This is a great damage to the natural water resources of the state. The culverts constructed by Okorocha, in his bid to save cost, have no width and headroom, leading to the dispersal of water flow instead of streamlining the waters for vigor and vitality. The rivers have been constricted and barricaded hence, they are shrinking and dying off, thereby denying the masses their natural sources of water and aesthetics.
10. PSEUDO EDUCATIONAL POLICIES
In further demonstration of his authoritarian and totalitarian mentality, Okorocha introduced a common school uniform for all the primary and secondary schools in the state. Some people even claim that he did that to take over the contract for the supply of the uniforms in a centralized arrangement. The policy has worked about 100% in the primary schools but only about 80% in the secondary schools because of the objection of missionary and private school proprietors. Okorocha’s pseudo – free education policy is very mediocre and a mockery of qualitative education.
11. RUBBER-STAMP LEGISLATURE
Okorocha’s excesses have been accentuated by the existence of a comatose House of Assembly, a legislative institution imperiled by its own crippled leadership. The Speaker of the House, Acho Ihim was the first set of proprietors in the 1990s to set up Special Centres for WAEC students in Umuahia, Abia State, where the art of exam malpractices was allegedly perfected. It is difficult to get the Governor accountable or to carry out effective oversight functions where the Legislature is made up of neophytes, nincompoops, charlatans and dubious characters. A politician in the State, Dr. Christopher Nworji stated that, “wherever you have men of doubtful integrity as leaders, especially in the Legislative Councils, they cannot do more than chorus singers. The culture of political resistance for which Imo State was known has been caged partly because of a corrupt and selfish Legislature”.
12. THE CAMBODIAN ANATHEMA (BETRAYAL OF IMO YOUTHS)
The worst aspect of Governor Okorocha’s exasperating policies is his recent decision to engage Cambodians and other Asians as artisans to displace the Imo indigenes in Government project sites, because of white skin. They are quartered in his Le Monde Guest House at Orlu Road, so that he could collect rents from them under the excuse and pretext that there is adequate security in his Guest House, where they (the Cambodians) will not be kidnapped by Nigerians.
Even Okorocha’s relationship with the Youths of Imo State is described as “cumbersome”. It was the Youths who were in the fore-front to have the Governor elected in 2011. But today the Youths are disgusted and enraged. A Youth Leader in the state, Bonaventure Okere said that “Okorocha has disappointed Imo Youths. Even the Okada riders he used initially do not want to hear about him today”.
13. OKOROCHA’S LEGACY OF THE WORST GOVERNOR IN IMO STATE
After more than five years in the saddle, Okorocha has only brought sadness, regret, perplexity, suffering and psychological trauma to the people of Imo State. Former Governor Sam Mbakwe who ruled the state for only four years (1979-1983) built a power plant at Amaraku for the state (even though it was later sold by a military regime); He also set up a big poultry farm in Obowo, built the Ezinnachi Clay Industry; and set up the Imo State University. What legacies can the people of Imo state remember Governor Rochas Okorocha for? These are the nagging questions on the lips of most Imolites today!
14. CONCLUSION
Mr. President, we believe that you will use your good offices to look into our complaints and call Governor Okorocha to order, in the interest of peace, harmony and stability in Imo State.
Christopher Nwoji,
Co-ordinator, Concerned Youths of Imo State (CYIS)
