Date Published: 01/04/10

Ooni's Birthday: Group condemns Ohakim

Ikedi Ohakim

A Socio/Political Group based in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Imo Democratic Congress has condemned in strong terms the brazen display of Imo people’s money by the Governor of Imo State Mr Ikedi Ohakim during the 80 th birthday celebration of the Oni of Ife, Oba Okunnade Sijuade. The group in a statement signed by its Executive Secretary Mr. Maximus Uba said Mr. Ohakim’s conduct of dashing two bags of money containing foreign currency to the Yoruba monarch is distasteful, primitive and smacks financial recklessness by a man who in the last three years as governor of Imo state cannot provide infrastructures or pay teachers salaries. Part of the statement read thus “Over the weekend precisely on 2 nd January 2010 the day the Yoruba monarch celebrated his 80th birthday, Mr Ohakim, the Imo Governor was pictured carrying two bags of money in foreign currency which he shamelessly gave to the monarch in exchange for a “YEYE” title. Our worry in this direction is that this same Ohakim who is dashing tax payers to Traditional Rulers across Nigeria to curry their favour has not been able to provide simple infrastructures, has not been able to pay teachers salaries regularly and has not completed one project since 2007. The Ile Ife show of shame which we have on tape confirms what we have been saying since 2007 that Imo is in trouble and that as long as Ohakim continues as Governor it will be nothing but jamboree ,looting and mounting debts. Besides we have it on good authority that Mr  Ohakim has been paying some prominent Northern Emirs and select Western Obas since 2007. The group then decried the attitude of anti graft agencies like EFCC, ICPC, SSS who have received mountains of petitions against  Mr Ohakim but rather chose to keep mute and we ask, where is there supposedly fight against corruption? The group enjoined Imo people to remain calm in the face of this mis-governance as the Good Lord is set to wipe away the tears inflicted by Ohakim and his co-travelers which include Iwuanyanwu, Nzeribe, Emma Ohakim and Mr Ilomuanya.  

In another development, IDC has described Governor Ohakim’s speech at the last Imo stakeholders forum wherein he claimed that he has delivered on his promises as hogwash, spurious, empty and a hot air blowing exercise which cannot be proved and stated that Imo state has not seen real development since the exit of Chief Sam Mbakwe in 1983. The group then urged Mr Ohakim to avoid rhetoric and face governance while urging the people to remain calm and be law abiding.