Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has denied having any faceoff with a former Governor of Abia State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, over the choice of who becomes the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Okorocha cleared the air while addressing journalists at the Government House Owerri on Friday, adding that he has good relationship with Onu and that Onu’s name was among the three he submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari for consideration for the office of the SGF.
He said: “When Ndigbo lost the chance to produce the Senate President or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, which was initially zoned to the South-East, we then brought the idea of the SGF, I nominated Onu, Senator Chris Ngige and Prof. Anthony Anwuka (Secretary to Imo State Government). But this was before Buhari said he was not going to take any list from any governor.”
He declared that his second term in office will see him carry out comprehensive review of his administration’s policies to enable it serve people of the state better.
He, however, warned that the review may not go down well with the people.
“I may have to carry out certain decisions that the people may not like but I have to do it because of passion for good service to the people,” he said.
The governor asserted that it was not in the best interest of the people that major roads and streets in the state were covered by offensive refuse dumps, illegal motor parks, and street traders.
To this end, he insisted that his administration would inevitably step on some toes in order to restore the state to her premier position as the cleanest state in the federation through the relocating of road side mechanics, street traders and car dealers to conducive places of operation.
Okorocha posited that although he had won the affection of the people, he would not mind adopting any policy that would be tailored towards uplifting the well being of the people.
He, however, noted that his administration would in this second term emphasize more on building of industries and creation of job opportunities for the teeming unemployed youths.
While debunking speculation in some quarters that he would soon abolish his “Free Education Programmme,” he stressed that the gesture was sacrosanct and not negotiable.
The returned governor noted that the introduction of the Free Education Programme had tremendously assisted to reduce insecurity in the state assuring that “Free Education will continue and I will embark on policy education and also ensure that state’s parastatals are either effective and perform optimally or do not exist”.
Disclosing that over 50 Turkish investors would soon arrive the state to establish factories and agricultural institutions, he said that the state government on its part would create an enabling environment for investors to come into the state believing that “you must have to daggle a carrot for investors to come.”
At his inauguration for a second term at the Dan Anyiam Satadium, Owerri, Okorocha promised the people of the state to expect a vibrant government that would be committed to service, stressing that he kept his campaign promises to the people in the last four years.
He said: “Four years ago, I gave you my word. I told you that my word was my bond. I gave my people my word when I assured them that I would keep the citizens safe and secure within the four walls of our peace-loving state.
“In two years of the Rescue Mission, kidnapping, baby factory, armed robbery, including bank robbery and other violent crimes became a thing of the past. Those crimes have been eradicated from our great land”.
