Disturbed by the
weight of evidence in the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, against
Governor Rochas Okorocha, at the state Governorship Election Petitions
Tribunal, the governor has appealed to the traditional rulers of Mbaise land to
persuade the petitioner to drop case.
The governor also asked the Mbaise monarchs to beckon on the head of the legal team of Ihedioha, Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN) to withdraw the petition in the interest of the state.
Ahamba is also from
Mbaise, the same area with Ihedioha.
Okorocha, who is visibly
disturbed, challenged the traditional rulers yesterday during a meeting with
members of the state Council of Traditional Rulers in Owerri to persuade their
sons to withdraw the petition.
THISDAY gathered that
the over 40 alleged traditional rulers that were suspended or facing trial from
the government-sponsored council of traditional rulers were absent from the
meeting.
Sources told THISDAY
that the governor’s appeal to the traditional rulers amounted to threat on the
lives of Ihedioha, Ahamba and the traditional rulers.
“The implication is
that if at the end of the day, the petition is not withdrawn by the parties,
the governor can go ahead to get his own ‘pound of flesh’ from the persons
directly concerned,” they noted.
The sources said it was
also observed that the action of the governor to single out only traditional
rulers from Mbaise to stand-up in the midst of their colleagues amounted to
intimidation, threat and impunity, challenging the governor to desist from such
punitive measures.
Meanwhile, the
governor has directed the 40 traditional rulers in the state who took him and
the government to court to withdraw the suit without further delay and to also
tender an apology, adding that such action amounted to insult and embarrassment
to him and the government.
The governor said for
the 40 traditional rulers to have gone to court against him and the government
for no tenable, tangible and justifiable reason, it means they must have
mistaken his patience, tolerance and respect for the people of the state as
weakness.
The 40 traditional rulers had gone to court on the grounds that the governor had suspended them and even went to the media to claim that the court had restrained the governor from suspending them.
The governor said the traditional
rulers were out to deliberately malign him and his government because he never
suspended the traditional rulers or sacked them.
He added that he had
not taken any action that suggested that he had any plan to go against them and
then questioned the rationale behind taking him to court.
He also explained that
the state Council of Traditional Rulers led by Eze Samuel Ohiri does not have
the right to suspend or remove any Eze from his stool, adding that it is only
him (governor) who has that right and he had never exercised such right against
the traditional rulers in question.
He noted that the
leadership of the traditional rulers council only suspended four of their
members from the council and not as Ezes as to begin to suspect that they acted
on behalf of the governor.
The governor also
directed at the meeting that whatever money that was owed the traditional
rulers in the state should be paid within a week.
He also dissolved the
traditional rulers’ councils in the local governments, saying that their
tenures had expired long before now.
Why is okorohausa always denying and lying? He swore with the Holy-bible that if the church(catholic church) vote and campaign for him, he won't attempt to come for 2nd tenure; that was a lie against God and man, and that confirms he is hardened liar and anti-yaweh(islamist). My Igbo brothers I know u love business, but do give time to logical reasoning before u loss both ur business and ur life
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