Okorocha knocks Obi

OwerriThe war of words between Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State and his Imo State counterpart, Rochas Okorocha, over the leadership of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), seems far from being resolved.

Speaking through the Special Assistant to the Imo State Governor on Media, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, the state government yesterday dismissed the claims that Governor Obi and the ousted national chairman of APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, were instrumental in making Rochas Okorocha, the governor of Imo State.

Apparently responding to the statement credited to the Anambra State governor’s media aide, Mike Udah, who described the Imo governor as an ‘ingrate’, who forgot those that made him governor, Onwuemeodo stated that Obi’s aide spoke out of ignorance because he did not know what transpired in 2011.

He said those who knew what transpired would acknowledge that Chief Victor Umeh allegedly worked against the emergence of Governor Okorocha as APGA candidate in Imo State and that Governor Obi  never came to Imo State as a sitting governor of APGA to campaign for Okorocha, a tacit proof that he never supported him as the candidate of APGA.

“It is also laughable that Governor Obi had talked about Governor Okorocha riding on the back of Chief Martin Agbaso to become governor. Chief Agbaso is an illustrious Imo son and he has no personal problem with Governor Okorocha. But for the sake of this debate, Chief Agbaso had run elections with the APGA ticket for the governorship of Imo but could not make it. Rochas came and broke the long existing jinx.”

Onwuemeodo said in reacting to the media report credited to the Imo State governor, one had expected Governor Obi to join that debate thrown up by his colleague, by stating whether what Governor Okorocha said was a statement of fact and not to resort to attack on his person, while the real issue had not been addressed.

He stated that as a responsible son of Ndigbo, he would not insult the Anambra State governor, who is an illustrious son of Igbo land in the manner that Mike Udah did against the governor of Imo State, another illustrious son of Ndigbo, stressing that Ndigbo must always respect their leaders irrespective of their political affiliations.

“Governor Obi is an executive governor and an illustrious Igbo son and I cannot follow the example of his chief press secretary to insult him. Insulting him would tell others that we do not respect our leaders and we must always respect our leaders no matter our political affiliation. But the fact is that Governor Obi needs a quiet time to think aloud on Governor Okorocha’s claims.”

Governor Obi’s media aide had reacted to a media report credited to Governor Okorocha, during the meeting of the South-East APC, where he berated Anambra politicians for allegedly sabotaging Igbo political agenda, by describing him (Okorocha) as a ‘rabble rouser’, who was bent on becoming president at all cost.