Date Published: 01/15/10

Ohakim most traveled Governor: Imo Group

A Socio/Political group based in Owerri, the Imo State Capital, Imo Democratic Congress has decried the unavailability of the Governor of Imo State Mr. Ikedi Ohakim to attend to state matters, rather he is busy moving from one State to another globe trotting all with no advantage to the suffering masses of Imo People when he is governing.  

The Group in a Statement made available to newsmen and signed by its Executive Secretary, Mr. Maximus Uba said that it has records to show that Mr., Ohakim has only stayed little over 300 days out of less that on thousand days he has been on the seat of Power and described the development as shadow chasing, irresponsible and an embarrassment to good governance. The statement read in Part”. Imo Democratic Congress in strong terms condemns the inability of the Imo State Governor Mr. Ikedi Ohakim to sit in Owerri and attend to state-matters rather he is globetrotting and leaving important state matters to his brother who functions as Chief of Staff. At the last count the Governor has been out of Owerri and out of Imo nearly 600days out of less than a thousand days in office. If he is not in Lagos attending Nite Clubs, he is in Abuja meeting his fleshy needs things that has little to do with state Administration. Las week he was in Ife to collect a “YEYE” title from the Ife Monarch, the other week he was Sao Tome, before then London, and America, even countries like Pakistan, Kenya and India whose Relationship cannot benefit Imo People the man has visited, we therefore challenge the Governor to show us the benefits of his travels which has seen him abandon state administration. Besides we are worried on the cost of these trips which conservatively put now is over 1 billion Naira made of Hotel bills, first class seats, car hire, and other unnecessary travel budgets. Over take here is for the House of Assembly to investigate these unnecessary trips, find out the cost to tax payers and urge a restraint. Besides we urge Imo People to come out and condemn this grandstanding in the name of Governance. 

The Group then demanded that the unconstitutional practice of Mr. Ikedi Ohakim handing over to his kid brother who does have Governmental experience whereas there is an elected Deputy Governor smacks, mistrust, lack of co-operation and denigration of the Office of the Deputy Governor as occupied by Mrs. Ada Okwuonu. “We State here that this usual penchant of handing over Imo State to a fellow who never held public office, and which has been ongoing since 2007 must stop. It is bad enough that Mr. Ikedi Ohakim has spent a whooping Six hundred and ten days out of the seat of power, it is even worrisome that an unconstitutional act is perpetrated by the Ohakim’s to conceal under the table deals reasons why he bypasses the Deputy Governor and hand over the reins of power to a non descript office called office of Chief of Staff. Need we say that this calculated act of keeping power within the Ohakim dynasty is the reason why infrastructures have broken down, social crimes have overtaken Owerri and the state generally is not working”. Need we also say that the above accounts to general corruption and looting that has been the lot of Imo State since 2007.  

The group the appealed to Imo people to remain calm as the Lord is set to wipe away their tears in the coming months and restore the glory of Imo and the People.