From Godwin Tsa, Abuja

Some Imo elder statesmen have expressed concern over the face-off between Governor Hope Uzodimma and Senator Rochas Okorocha with a call on citizens not to allow the tension degenerate into breakdown of law and order.

Okorocha, who is the Senator representing Imo West at the National Assembly, was arrested on the order of the state government for forcibly breaking into a property the government had sealed.

Okorocha had reportedly led his group to the Royal Spring Palm Hotel and Apartment sealed last Friday by Imo Sate Government, cleared the security vehicles mounted in front of the entry to guard against trespassers, destroyed the padlock that sealed the property and moved in with his supporters.

The multiple–storey building, located in the Akachi axis was said to have been built by the former governor’s wife, Nkechi. Okorocha had gone there to recover the seized estate. It was gathered that last Friday, the state’s Commissioner for lands, Enyinnaya Onuegbu, had led some government officials to seal the premises in compliance with the recommendations of a judicial panel set up by Governor Hope Uzodinma that looked into lands illegally acquired between 2006 and May 2019.

The state government had, in November last year, adopted the White Paper of the Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Lands and other related matters, which allegedly uncovered that land designated by the government’s master plan as a green verge but was fraudulently acquired by the former governor’s wife when Okorocha was the state’s chief executive officer between 2011 and 2019.

The face-off that ensued led to the arrest of the former governor and his 14 supporters by the police. By Monday, the police arraigned Okorocha’s supporters in court where they were granted bail in the sum of N70 million by Magistrate B.U Adike. Okorocha was not arraigned.

But in a statement on the incident, a group of elder statesmen under the auspices of Concerned Imo Elder Statesmen condemned what they referred to as “Senator Okorocha’s unlawful entry into the premises of Royal Spring Palm Estate already taken possession of by the Imo state government after due process, as outlined above.”

The statement was endorsed by the Obi of Obinugwu, HRM Eze (Dr) C.I. Illomuanya, CON, Chancellor, Federal University, Birinin Kebi, Kebbi State; Chief Ralph Obioha (Okpuruisi Zuruoha II); Rt. Hon. (Dr) Maxwell Duru (Omeudo Okigwe); Prince Lemmy Akakem (Okpata Ozuoha of Owerri) and Chief (Sir) Simon Udunka, Hon. Commissioner Emeritus under Governor Sam Mbakwe.

The elders equally condemn Senator Okorocha’s action of personally leading unauthorized persons to break into the property, knowing full well that such an action is tantamount to challenging the authority of security agents that were lawfully deployed to guard the property; and that any possible clash arising there from may lead to a breach of public peace.

It reads in part: “We completely disapprove of Senator Okorocha’s behavior more so at a time when security challenges, together with sundry issues of national concern, have made the country very susceptible to social unrest at the slightest provocation.

We commend the state government and the Nigeria Police for ensuring that the matter did not escalate.
As bona fide members of the Imo state society, we wish to state, without any equivocation or fear of contradiction, that we whole heartedly support any legitimate and lawful moves taken by the state government to restore the Owerri City Master Plan and recover every property or assets collectively owned by the people but which were illegally appropriated by any individual or group; and we seize this opportunity to urge the good people of Imo state to support same.
Conversely, we enjoin every well meaning indigene of the state, irrespective of partisan affiliation or personal affinity, not to collaborate with, connive at or assist any other fellow, no matter how highly placed, to thwart the noble intentions of the state government to recover our stolen patrimony and, in effect, lay a foundation for the culture of transparency and accountability among public officers in the state.
It needs no exaggeration to state that the case under review is a big embarrassment to the generality of the people of the state. Senator Okorocha may have the sympathy of a handful of people who benefited from his administration or even neutral elements who might not be properly informed of the nuances of his actions but there can be no doubt that the generality of the over five million Imolites want an end to lawlessness which, we dare say, unfortunately, got its biggest impetus during his tenure as governor.
We enjoin the good people of Imo state to, rather than allow themselves to be blinded by emotions, seize the opportunity offered by this incident to say, “Enough Is Enough”; and begin to insist that their leaders, whether elected or appointed, should keep to the rule of law.
As stakeholders in the wellbeing and development of our dear state, Imo, and its people, we deem it fit to make some observations on some recent developments, fully convinced that it is our joint responsibility, as leaders, to ensure a secured future for all its indigenes, both at home and abroad. Since the issue we want to dwell upon presently boarder on the rule of law, we wish to, first and foremost, reiterate our belief that for democratic governance to blossom, leaders, whether elected or appointed, must always operate within the ambits and purview of rule of law.