From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri

Following the repeal of the law establishing the Eastern Palm Universuty, Ogboko and its renaming by the Imo State House of Assembly on Wednesday, former governor of the State, Rochas Okorocha has mocked the action describing it as only existing in minds of governor Uzodimma and the lawmakers.

The Imo State Assembly in a bid to recover the Eastern Palm University claimed by Okorocha had repealed the law establishing it at the normal seating of the house.

But Okorocha reacting in a press statement by his Special Adviser on media , Sam Onwuemeodo said the action of the assembly has justified his earlier claim that the institution was established by law.

Okorocha also argued that his consent was not seek according to the law before it was purportedly repealed. He said “The Imo State Government, with Chief Hope Uzodinma as governor, had taken three wrong steps with regard to the Eastern Palm University, in the past 72 hours.

“The government had announced that it has taken over the ownership of the University. The government had also gotten the House of Assembly to purportedly repeal the law establishing the University.

“The government has also announced that, it has re-named or changed the name of the University to K.O. Mbadiwe University.

“But the purported repeal of the law establishing the Eastern Palm University has authenticated our claim that it was a creation of the law. The law establishing the University prescribed the PPP arrangement.

” Since that was the setting, the Assembly therefore, defaulted or had acted in contravention of the law by not getting the Consent or agreement of the two parties involved, on the reported repeal. In other words, the repeal only existed in the imaginations of those behind it.

“Both the Assembly and the Government have never denied that there is a matter pending in a Court of Competent Jurisdiction on the Eastern Palm University.

” And for both the Assembly and the government to be taking one sided decisions on the fate of the University, without reference to the main Party and to the Court matter, have only made their actions questionable and contemptuous.

Okorocha further argued “University is not a street one can rename or change its name at a polling unit where he had gone to revalidate his membership of APC. So, the claimed renaming of the University does not add up in reality.

“The purported repeal of the law establishing the University by the Assembly without recourse to the position of one of the parties, has also made the Assembly a willing party in the matter in Court. And until the Court takes decision on the matter before it, there is nothing anybody can do about that.

“Okorocha had established and gotten the licences of five Universities and four Polytechnics while he was governor. Let governor Uzodinma also tell his audience, why he is not talking about those Universities and Polytechnics, but only interested in the Eastern Palm University with PPP Status.” Okorocha stated. (Daily Sun)

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