Former Imo State Governor, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, on Saturday said for the umpteenth time that his administration did not award the Nworie River dredging contract, contrary to the allegation that he spent N8bn on the said contract.

According to a press release by His Chief Press Secretary, Collins Ughalaa, Ohakim made this known at his Prefab residence in Owerri on Saturday while responding to the allegation by some people that he awarded the contract for the dredging of Nworie River in Owerri, capital of Imo State, for N8bn.

He recalls that Ohakim had asked his Facebook friends to feel free and tell him the areas they thought he did not do well and the areas he did well while he was Governor of Imo State between 2007 and 2011. But while eating fresh corns with some of his friends at his Prefab residence, Ohakim who is running for a second term in office in 2019 also said he did not ask anyone who did not have N1m to leave Owerri and go back to the village.

Ohakim explained that though he could not have made such comments, it has become obvious who made the comments, adding that while he was Governor people migrated from the villages to the state capital because of the opportunities his administration created, unlike now when people have been forced back to the villages as a result of the government's inhuman, chocking policies.

"I was accused of saying that anybody without N1million should leave Owerri to the village. My dear brothers and sisters, if you look at what is happening in Imo today, you can see who truly made such a statement as more people have migrated to the village in the last seven years whereas, during our time, millions came to the capital because of the opportunities we provided.

“That accusation was another lie from the pit of hell which was used to hoodwink our people and land us where we are today,” he said.

He further explained: “The Nworie project was an NDDC project, not Ohakim’s project. So, how did Ohakim give anybody N8 billion or whatever figure they peddled to our people for the project?

“Back then, we didn't have that kind of money, which was why I had to take a bond to transform the Face of Imo in the continent. Unfortunately, those after me didn't share my vision of transformation and today Imo is an ugly and dirty ghost of her former self.

“Salaries were paid 100% to our civil servants and on time. Our roads and those built by His Excellency Chief Achike Udenwa still stand strong as the only well constructed, COREN certified roads in the state today.

“We provided grassroots jobs totalling over 50,000, including but not limited to 10,000 jobs, IROMA, local government staff, among others.”

Ohakim noted that though he is not a perfect man, he "will never make false or malicious accusations knowingly against anyone”, saying that he expects the same courtesy from others.

He also pointed out that the accusation that he beat a Reverend Father was a lie and part of the propaganda used against him, stressing that even Rev Father Mbaka who had bought the crap had confessed during a Sunday service at the Adoration Ground in Enugu State in August 2014 that Ohakim did not see nor beat a Reverend Father.

Recall also that the Catholic Church in Imo State had on February 13, 2018 presented an award to Dr. Ikedi Ohakim in recognition of his superlative performance as Governor, especially in Education. The award was presented by the Archbishop of Owerri Archdiocese, Archbishop AJV Obinna.

The incoming second term Governor also said that the accusation that he was not accessible was false, noting that he had always asked for feedback from the people back then and received a lot of feedback. He, however, regretted that technology was not what is it today and that it limited his reach to many people as many people did not have access to the social media back then. He noted also that some of his best friends today are those who responded and gave him the feedback.

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