Governor Rochas Okorocha has tackled former Governor Ikedi Ohakim, former Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Reps and 2015 governorship candidate of the PDP, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, over his new Ministry of Happiness and Purpose Fulfilment, saying that “Ohakim was governor for four years and has no achievement to his Credit”.

He claimed that the Ohakim “administration could only be associated with the flogging of Citizens, including a Priest. Today, Owerri has twelve lane roads, three tunnels, two fly-overs, five in-land roads, four pedestrian bridges, street lights and befitting structures, Courtesy of Governor Okorocha”.

Former Governor Ikedi Ohakim had while reacting to the creation of the new Ministry of Happiness and appointment of Governor Okorocha’s sister, Mrs Ogechi Ololo, as the Commissioner for Happiness and Purpose Fulfilment said that the Governor needed deliverance, describing it as “strange decision”.

He spoke to newsmen in Abuja, saying: “This is a sort of abomination. How can this man continue to insult the sensibilities of Imo citizens?

“Whose happiness are they looking for when salaries and pensions are not paid? Are we looking for the happiness of the Okorocha family and friends?

“I have not heard about such a ministry anywhere in the world, before. It is not in Britain that gave us independence. It is not in the United States of America, whose democratic system we copied. It is not in Canada. It is nowhere in West Africa.

“I have searched through the internet and I am still searching to see where it was practised and couldn’t find any.

“Honestly, this is a bizarre creation and I won’t be surprised to see the Governor’s aides struggling to defend this indefensible act.

“Deliverance is what Okorocha needs for his rescue mission. Someone somewhere is mentally challenged. We pray for help before more than one runs amok.”

But in a swift reaction through a press release by his Chief Press Secretary, Hon Sam Onwuemeodo, Governor Okorocha said that “the former governor of the State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, and the 2015 PDP governorship candidate in the State, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, are the least qualified to criticise Okorocha on any policy or programme.”

He added: “Chief Ihedioha was in the House of Representatives for 12 years and ended up being the Deputy Speaker but could not fix the only market called Nkwo-Mbutu in his ward, Mbutu, and all the NDDC Projects that have developed K-legs in the state are directly or indirectly linked to him.”

The Governor also debunked allegations that he is owing workers’ salaries and pensions, stressing that “the Imo State government is not owing workers’ salary. The government has been up to date in the payment of salaries. And anybody still in doubt of this innocent claim, should read the Sunday Nation of November 5, 2017, page 13, where the State Chairman of NLC, Comrade Austin Chilakpu, said that the State Government is up to date in the payment of workers’ salary.

“On the issue of Pension, the government has also shown interest and commendable commitment to the payment of Pensions. In December 2016, the government cleared all arrears of Pension and began monthly payment this year and one hundred percent too. The government has only few months to clear and is not leaving any stone unturned to ensure that the few outstanding months are also cleared. We stand to be challenged on all our claims.”

The Governor also claimed that Ihedioha’s poor performance “was the reason he could only extract victory in the three Local Governments of Mbaise where he comes from, with INEC, and all the federal agencies fully behind him during the 2015 election.”

He said that they “accept all the criticisms in good faith and commend the critics. That is what makes the society dynamic and our democracy juicy,” adding that “the new Ministry is not an accidental discharge but a well-thought-out idea that will benefit Imo people in particular and all men and women of goodwill in general. We only ask the critics to give us time.

“Some people have also talked about Jacob Zuma’s Statue as a referenced case. The criticisms that greeted Zuma’s Statue were all anchored on the corruption allegations against the South African President. Yet, the fact remains that the man is still the President of that country. He has neither been sentenced to imprisonment nor impeached as president following these corruption claims.”

The Governor also claimed that he “has more than 1,000 completed and verifiable projects located in various parts of the state. And his achievements have surpassed the achievements of all those who had governed the State before him put together. Anybody with contrary claim should come forward with his facts or verifiable claims.”

He expressed optimism that “at the end of the day, the achievements of the new Ministry of Happiness and Purpose Fulfillment will be so amazing that the critics of the initiative will not only be shocked but will also regret to have drawn the curtain for the new Ministry even before it takes off.

“Ideas are like bullets. They pierce greatly. And Rochas Okorocha is a man of tremendous ideas who thinks about the present and the generations yet unborn. He does not misfire on any issue, the attendant criticisms notwithstanding.

“When the new Ministry begins to bear the expected fruits, the accolades will envelop the early criticisms.”

But in a swift reaction to Governor Okorocha on his Facebook wall on Friday, Chief Ikedi Ohakim said he was standing for the future generation and not only the present one, and therefore could not keep quiet.

His words: “I know that standing up for and speaking out for my people makes me a target for attacks, ridicule and blackmail from the oppressors of my people and even from the same people I am standing up for. But am I just standing for you?

“No, I am standing for the future of my children, your children, our children. If I keep quiet today what will I tell them tomorrow when my silence jeopardises their future?

“Is your silence jeopardising the future of our children? Is your misplaced hatred occasioned by misinformation jeopardising the future of your children? Our children and the future we create for them is all that matters. God bless you.”

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