Okorocha challenges Obiano to list his achievements

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state has again challenged his Anambra counterpart, Chief Willie Obiano to publish his achievements.

According to Okorocha, should Obiano publish his achievements, he will also lists his achievements to avail the people opportunity to judge who has performed more as a governor of their respective states, The Sun reports.

Recall that Okorocha and Obiano have been engaged in verbal war following a statement by the Imo governor that three South East governors would soon join the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Okorocha challenges Obiano to list his achievements

In a statement by Okorocha’s Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, the governor noted that within 48 hours, Obiano, had engaged his Imo state counterpart in an unwarranted media attacks.

He said: “The first attack was when he took on the Imo governor, over his claim that two governors in the South-East would soon join APC. Obiano said the Imo governor was not what a good leader should be.

“To us in Imo, we saw that statement as callous, especially when it was from a governor. And we had no option than to react to it to prove that such careless statement was uncalled for.

“We, then, challenged Obiano to publish his achievements in Anambra for four years and let Okorocha publish his own achievements in Imo for five years since leadership is all about service to God and humanity.”

The statement added: “Instead of doing that, Obiano used the opportunity he would have appropriated to display his achievements in Anambra if any, to call Governor Okorocha names, which is neither here nor there. We still maintain our challenge on Obiano to publish his achievements as governor in Anambra and let Okorocha, also, do same.

“Again, with the way Obiano has talked, both in the first and second attacks, it is easy to conclude that the Anambra governor was not the one talking, but “S.O”, which he fancies a lot.

“Governor Okorocha has never lived overseas. He has lived all his life in this country. His wealth and popularity are all products of hard work and Gods’ grace.”

While still expecting Obiano to publish his achievements, Onwuemeodo listed some of his principal’s feat.

He said: “It is an enviable record that a man of his status has never been associated with any corrupt practice in this country, either by an individual or by a group.

“Leveraging on his hard earned popularity, Okorocha defeated an incumbent governor in 2011 on the platform of APGA that had no structure before he came on board and with the incumbent then enjoying massive federal might.

“In 2015, he joined the merger from a zone that could be regarded as the “headquarters” of the PDP. He resisted all the storms, including the federal might that was deployed against him, and was elected for second term. They could only give him the name “Alhaji in Douglas House.”

He added: “Obiano is a governor. Okorocha is a governor. Let them begin the contest by publishing their achievements in their respective states for Nigerians to see…”

“Anambra state has remained as Obiano met it. Awka, the state capital and Government House, have remained the same. Let him prove us wrong. That is what we want to achieve. Owerri the Imo State capital today has eight-lane roads, courtesy of Okorocha in his urban renewal programme, Douglas House has been remodelled and given a facelift, two fly-overs, three tunnels, 500 kilometres of urban roads, International Convention Centre (IICC) and remodelling of all the premier schools, all in Owerri, the state capital.

“Okorocha has built new universities including Eastern Palm University Ogboko, Aboh Mbaise/Ngor-Okpala University of Agriculture and Veterinary medicine, Ihitte Uboma College of Education, Imo College of Advanced Studies, 800 kilometres of rural roads, 305 upstair school buildings in the 305 wards in the state, 27 general hospitals.

“Sam Mbakwe Airport is today International Cargo Airport, the free education programme in Imo has remained productive that the state has maintained her lead in JAMB applications and admissions since 2012. The record is there for verification. The school enrolment has gone from 280,000 in 2011 to 800,000 in 2015 because of free education. The poverty level in the state in 2011 was 57 per cent but in 2015 it came down to 19 per cent, according to United Nations report, because parents now channel the money they would have used to pay fees to other economic ventures.”

According to Onwuemeodo, Obiano engaged in what the Igbo would regard as ‘Ikuonu’ (talking frivolities) when he talked about salaries.

He said: “A conscious governor should be making valid statements. Okorocha has paid salaries up to December 2016. This is verifiable and we stand to be contradicted. We have also cleared arrears of pensions up to December 2016 based on the understanding with pensioners in the state. It is left for Obiano to do the needful by publishing his achievements and stop shying away from this people-oriented challenge.

“All our claims are verifiable. Okorocha has about 2000 projects scattered in all the nooks and crannies of the state and we are itching to use this opportunity offered by Willie Obiano’s noise to show-case them.

"Governor Obiano should publish his achievements in Anambra as governor for almost four years to show he is a leader because leadership does not exist in the vacuum. There must be basis for that claim. Talking frivolities is neither here nor there. Governor Okorocha, long before now, has paid his dues in this country and equally long before becoming governor. He is not among those elements godfathers carried on their backs to the governorship seat and they are just there void and not adding any colour to the whole thing.

“We are not concerned about noise-making occasioned by “S.O.”. We are waiting for Obiano to publish his achievements in Anambra state. If he fails to do that, we will go ahead to publish ours. The era much noise is gone, since action speaks louder than words.”

But in a swift response, Obiano has disclosed that he is so busy with issues of governance, providing qualitative service and abundant democracy dividends, and has no spare time for unnecessary politically motivated distractions.

A statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Strategic Communication and Legislative Matters, Prince Oliver Okpala, noted that the governor’s top priority now is making life more meaningful to Anambra people not minding the current recession.

Sam Onwuemeodo had earlier condemned those comparing Okorocha with Obiano.

According to him, it is only a clueless person that cannot make such mistake.

He said: “To say the least, comparing Okorocha with Obiano is like comparing Messi of Barcelona FC with the left wing player of Mberi Secondary in Mbaitoli LGA of Imo state.”