Because you are one of us: Tribute to Gov. Akpabio
I write today as a product of
history and a former leader of Nigerian students to pay tribute to a man
who rose from a fairly modest background to champion an inspiring legacy for
Akwa Ibom State and for my generation.
Governor Godswill Akpabio, CON, has
become an icon of this generation, a champion of uncommon transformation, a
true leader and a dynamic manager of people, resources and processes. Nigerian
students and former students’ leaders cannot but reckon with you; we are proud
that you are one of us, being a former students’ leader yourself.
Your Excellency, your administration
has gone on record as the most student friendly administration Akwa Ibom State
has ever had.
This administration’s
student-friendly policy interventions include, but are not limited to,
the free, compulsory and qualitative education scheme, overhaul of school
infrastructure in hundreds of primary and secondary schools across the state,
infrastructure rehabilitation and support grants to the University of Uyo and
other tertiary institutions in the state, take-off and scaled-up funding for
the Akwa Ibom State University and consistent bursary and scholarship
opportunities for students of the state origin, including grants and laptops to
Akwa Ibom State students at the Nigerian Law School.
Your tenure has also seen the
emergence of leading Akwa Ibom State students into prominent offices in the
students and youth movement nationally. We have also witnessed the appointment
of an unprecedented number of former student leaders to serve in political
offices, a salutary trend in leadership development.
One of my greatest reasons for
excitement is that your birthday holds on the wings of the 16 Days of Action on
Violence against Women, which is usually celebrated the world over from
November 25 to December 10 every year to draw attention to the violation of
women’s rights at home, at school, at work and on the streets.
When several years ago, we were
laying the foundations of the Nigerian Female Students Leadership Forum; our
mission was to build the capacity of girls and young women in our campuses as
champions of social change and their own rights. In the past, students’ and
youth leadership used to be an all-men affair.
Today I am happy to see that the
girls and young women are not just ably represented in the movement but more so
in leadership capacities. Through laws, policies and the composition of your
administration, you have shown that you are a champion of women’s rights. I am
a living testimony of your investment in the development of women.Our young men
in the students’ movement have a huge lesson to learn from our Governor.
In making these remarks, I cannot
fail to appreciate the role of the wife of the Governor, Her Excellency Mrs.
Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, a woman who has not only personally mentored me in diverse
areas, but has also taken under her wings, the entire Nigerian students
movement in Akwa Ibom State.
She intervenes during critical
junctures to ensure that conflicts are amicably resolved, and that the younger
generation stays focused and politically mobilized for their present and future
leadership roles. We remain ever grateful, ma’am. When the history of this
state is finally written, one of the most important chapters will be reserved
for her roles not only in supporting the father of uncommon transformation but
also in leaving her own compassionate legacies in the hearts of our people. We
remain grateful to this Amazon.
At 51, Your Excellency, yours is a
rendezvous with history, a tryst with destiny and a messianic pact with
mankind. In all these, you stand tall as a first among equals. By your
exemplary leadership, you have vindicated Frantz Fanon who once quipped: “Each
generation must, out of relative obscurity, discover its mission, fulfill, or
betray it.” Yes, you are indeed fulfilling your mission. But above all, you
have challenged the rest of us, to do likewise, if not more. Because you are
one of us, Your Excellency, we are indeed inspired to stand up for our
generation, following in your footsteps!
Assessing Oshiomhole: Orbih has turned a comedian –
Idah
CHIEF Osaro Idah is the Interim
state chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State. In this
interview, he reviews recent developments in the state and concludes that the
PDP in the state is living in dreamland.
Excerpts
The issue of Mrs. Joy Ifijieh has
been politicized by both the PDP and your party, the APC. Why?
Well, it is very unfortunate that the
PDP had to politicise a very simple matter. Definitely, the Comrade Governor
was pushed to the wall. For a governor that has spent billions of naira of the
peoples’ money and only gets insults and harassment simply for asking that
people should perform their civic duties, that is, pay their taxes and once the
taxes are paid, he deploys the money positively for the will of the people only
for him to see people blocking the walkways, trading on the walkways, and
whatever is left of their wares they pour into the gutters, blocking the drains
and thus making the entire city so dirty!
I think that what the governor is
trying to do, is to make people see reasons. It has been so difficult making
these traders to see reasons; if you drive them from one spot, immediately you
turn your back, they are back to the same spot again. That is not the best for
our society.
They have cried out that they have
no market stalls but that is not true. For instance, if you go to the Oba
Market, there are so many stalls unoccupied but they will tell you that they
prefer to trade along the streets because that is where they can easily attract
customers. And at the end of the day, the whole city looks crazy, dirty and it
is this frustration that made the Comrade Governor to react the way he did. I
don’t know what he said, but what he said is not enough for us to begin to
politicize the issue.
If we must look at the truth, this
woman’s husband, Mr. Ifijieh was a policeman, he died in active service. It is
on record that the police has not paid the woman her husband’s benefit; if they
had paid her she would have rented a store somewhere instead of trading by the
roadside. So, the PDP should have asked their people why that woman’s husband
benefits has not been paid? Why the woman became a destitute until the Comrade
Governor came to her rescue by providence because God ordained that to be and
that is why that incident happened.
How would you assess the character
of the Comrade Governor after his public apology to the widow?
That is the unique humanity in him
because it is not every leader that will do what he did. Some will just walk
away when they discovered that they made mistakes and say, go to hell. But
Comrade Oshiomhole is such a humble person and he has confessed that he knows
his background, from a humble background too, and he knows where the shoe the
woman is wearing pinches her. So, because of his singular act of apologizing to
the woman, I see him as a great man, otherwise, some leaders will keep quiet
until the matter fizzles out. He has shown the man he is by coming out publicly
to apologize to the woman and I think we should commend him.
Still on the issue of people not
obeying government’s directive to stop trading along the street s and walkways,
don’t you think that a mobile court should be set up to try offenders?
My brother, our people’s
disobedience to obeying simple instructions is what is causing this. There is a
War Against Indiscipline Committee and a mobile court attached to the
committee. It will surprise you to know that if Traffic Wardens arrest a driver
who violates traffic law, you will hear them saying that Oshiomhole Police has
come again. Everybody will criticize them. So, if you want to implement rules and
laws here, everybody comes out to criticize them and in our type of democracy
here, every body has become a social crusader. There is a mobile court attached
to the committee but once someone is arrested, the social crusaders will come
out to start crucifying them, saying, Oshiomhole has come again.
It is very unfortunate that these
social critics travel out of this country and even in LagosState; they obey
simple traffic rules and regulations. They cannot try even in Lagos what they
are doing in Benin. They cannot spit or even throw pieces of papers on the
streets of Lagos, but here, they will say Oshiomhole has done this or that. But
because of his background as a labour man, he takes all sorts of insults from
people and if the Committee sends one person to the prison, you will be
surprised at the criticism that would follow. And most of these people are not
doing it genuinely and most of the critics are particularly coming from one
Senatorial district; because of their quest for the governorship of the state
in the future, they don’t see the social benefit of the provision of the social
infrastructures.
The PDP has gone to the Election
Petition Tribunal on the outcome of the Esan North local government election.
How prepared is your party?
Oh, lovely. We are very, very ready
and ready to defend our case. We are a party that came into government through
the judiciary, canvassed our positions very well and we are not averse to their
going to the court.
If they have the facts they should
present it and we will also present our facts and the judiciary will take a
position as to who is right. I cannot comment further on this, but I can assure
you that we are ready to defend our case and the judiciary as an unbiased
umpire will come out with its decision.
How would you describe the journey
so far in the last five years of the administration of Comrade Adams
Oshiomhole?
It could not be better. My brother,
you are here and you know better how the state was before the coming of the
Comrade Governor into office and today you know how the state is. Is it in the
area of education, is it in area of human capital management and development,
and is it in the area of road construction or electricity? In all facets of
infrastructural development, I think this government has done very well,
extremely well and our people appreciate this. But our brothers in the PDP and
especially their state chairman cut in the garb of a comedian comes everyday on
the television and wants to be seen. Why I say that he is a comic is that when
people look at what he is commenting on, they simply shake their heads and
wonder if he is living in Utopia and not Edo State.
The same PDP State chairman has
accused the government of indebtedness up to the tune of N200billion and
borrowing money for non-existing projects?
You see in politics, there is one
item which they call propaganda but propaganda must be defined to what we call
responsible propaganda and irresponsible propaganda. What my friend is doing is
what they call irresponsible propaganda; without getting his facts right,
without doing investigations, he just comes out to make allegations that the
state is owing N200billion. For God’s sake, can the state go the capital market
to borrow such fund without the federal government’s approval? They should
have gone to the federal government to find out if the state owes such an
amount of money. They are just involving themselves in blackmail and
unnecessary propaganda and we are not ready for that. To tell you the truth,
the state has not and will not borrow anything near that figure; but again, the
state has the right to borrow and I am saying the state has not borrowed N200
billion and this is another way of expressing their propaganda. Let me say
this. I don’t know my friend, the chairman to be a smoker or drunkard, but
anybody that says this must be under influence. It is totally exaggerated and
untrue.
Imo: The story of Okorocha’s betrayal, by Agbaso
Economist and politician, Chief
Martin Agbaso is one of the leading lights of politics in Imo State. He was the
governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA in the 2007
gubernatorial elections following which he made claims of victory. Agbaso who
passed over the 2011 contest in favour of Owelle Rochas Okorocha in this
interview faults the actions and attitude of Governor Okorocha especially in
the controversial impeachment of his own junior brother, Sir Jude Agbaso as
deputy governor. Excerpts:
The accusation
If you recall in the third week of
March this year, my brother, Mr. Jude Ikechukwu Agbaso then deputy Governor of
Imo state, was accused to have received N458 million bribe from a Lebanese
contractor.
Then, I in very clear terms said
that my brother had nothing to do with the money that was alleged to have been
taken as bribe money.
It was Rochas Okorocha who approved
the contract, awarded it, paid the said contractor N1.3 billion of Imo State
money without due process, without even an award letter or any form of advance
payment guarantee. So the curious thing at the point was, why would a man who
did all this, who got all the benefits that were unprecedented from the
governor, go to the deputy governor who was away in India on official
assignment, and give him a bribe of almost 40% of the money collected?
That didn’t make sense to me. And I
said that we as a family would do every thing humanly possible to get to the
crux of the matter; we would do everything to find out who took this money,
where the money is domiciled and who the beneficiaries we.
Last week, the news broke. EFCC,
after putting us through grueling, painful, eight months of investigation
finally cleared my brother or any Agbaso for that matter of any wrong doing, of
any involvement whatsoever in the alleged bribe scandal. Again, this man who
went to the Imo state house of assembly and said to them: “I am a Lebanese journey
man, criminal contractor. I have taken 458 million naira of Imo state money and
given to the deputy Governor.”
They kissed this man and told him to
walk away. A man who said: “I have committed a crime against this state,
against this nation,” they turned around and let him walk away, and began
hunting a deputy governor who knew nothing.
Okorocha’s beef He said that I, the
deputy governor’s elder brother, tried to impeach him, so he was trying to
retaliate. Later on, he said that as long as Jude Agbaso remained the deputy
governor, his life was at risk, that Agbaso could kill him.
This is someone whose deputy
governor was impeached, someone who got into office on the same ticket as you,
was impeached in the most brazen manner, malicious and mischevious manner, in a
show of shame that this country had never seen before.
Before the impeachment panel could
even sit to look at the papers, a report had been sent to the House of
Assembly, before the House of Assembly could finish the process, a deputy
governor nominee had been selected. Before the man could say Jack Robinson, a
new deputy Governor was sworn in and yet he said he didn’t know anything about
it.
Agreement on one term
There has been a catalog of
anomalies committed by the administration of Rochas Okorocha. They are all
documented here. You are just determined to destroy my name in the eyes of the
Imo people and of Nigerians. You had an agreement with me that you were going
to be governor for four years and we both signed this agreement witnessed by the
national chairman of APGA.
And you made this pronouncement in
churches, in halls, in stadia, everywhere you said to people that you had an
agreement with Martin Agbaso that you would be governor for one term, and after
that the governorship would go to Owerri Zone who rightfully should produce the
next governor.
Instead of doing that, you’re
looking for a way to tarnish my image. But it’s not going to work because there
is a God out there who rules in the affairs of men and women. You can’t
continue to mislead the people, and lie your way through life as if it’s
business as usual. Rochas Okorocha, it is no longer going to be business as
usual, every step you make will be checked.
On EFCC Clearance of Jude Agbaso
For the first time in this country,
somebody was accused of something and the person wrote to EFCC, ICPC to come
and investigate him. He said: “If you find me guilty, jail me. But if you find
me innocent, say it so I can clear myself. Now the job of EFCC is to
investigate the matter. When they are through with investigation, if they find
you wanting on any of the allegations, then they take you to court for
prosecution.
EFCC has concluded this
investigation and found nothing. The money was said to have been given to you
as bribe was lodged in two accounts, one in Dubai and one in Lebanon. We
know where these monies are. EFCC has confirmed that he did not commit the
crime. Joseph Dina himself has said in a written statement that he did not give
him bribe. If Jude Agbaso committed any crime, EFCC would be prosecuting him in
court.
Apology to Ndi Imo
First of all, I owe the people of Imo state a big apology. I was misled by Gov. Rochas Okorocha. I did not know his antecedents before I went into an agreement with him. By everything he has done in Imo state, he has shown that he is a person who does not honour his word.
First of all, I owe the people of Imo state a big apology. I was misled by Gov. Rochas Okorocha. I did not know his antecedents before I went into an agreement with him. By everything he has done in Imo state, he has shown that he is a person who does not honour his word.
What I saw was a philanthropist who
trains other people’s children. And I believed that if he could do that, when
he gets into a position of authority, our people would be better off.
Everything I did was to put Imo State forward.
Because I was already in court for
three and half years, fighting a legal battle over elections I won in 2007, I
was not prepared to go into an election in 2011. This guy came and with his normal
talk-talk I thought we had a good candidate. Please Ndi-Imo, I am sorry for
bringing this man. He brought himself and I helped him. I thought it was
the best thing to do at the time. But that is the limit of a human being. I
could not see tomorrow.
Now, he is saying that he (Jude
Agbaso) was incompetent. How can you say that a man is incompetent when his
boss, the governor was the one who brought the contractor, paid him, awarded
the contract without any advance payment guarantee or letter of award. This
money, N1.3bn of Imo State money that is still at large was not paid through
the ministry, but on the directive of the governor, issued (through) to the
principal secretary to the governor, commissioner for finance and to the
accountant general.
This payment did not go through the
ministry at all. By the time the commissioner who was the deputy governor knew
what was happening, the money had been paid. In fact, the first N200 million
that was given to that man was paid in cash. So how do you say that such a man
is incompetent?
Apology from Okorocha
I expected an apology from Rochas Okorocha? Yet instead of apologizing to someone who invested heavily in his campaign, and to the young man who has worked with you, you try to destroy him. Instead of apologizing, you’re even undermining the letter which exonerated him.
I expected an apology from Rochas Okorocha? Yet instead of apologizing to someone who invested heavily in his campaign, and to the young man who has worked with you, you try to destroy him. Instead of apologizing, you’re even undermining the letter which exonerated him.
The most shameful thing that has
come out of Rochas Okorocha’s mouth is that he paid Martin Agbaso for APGA
ticket. I gave Rochas Okorocha my word that I would help him become governor. I
funded his campaign. I brought people to give money. I don’t want to mention
their names so I do not embarrass them. How can someone who he is now owing
money for funding the campaign be the same person he gave money for ticket?
Everybody saw me canvass through
every village canvassing for votes. My house was the command headquarters for
the elections, everything was done in my house. What thank you do I get? You
try to destroy my family name. And you see him singing church choruses and
quoting the bible. When it’s convenient, he quotes the Qu’ran. Who is he to
keep trying to mislead Nigerians and assume that we are foolish?
Imo: The story of Okorocha’s betrayal, by Agbaso
By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor
Economist and politician, Chief Martin Agbaso is one of the leading lights of politics in Imo State. He was the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA in the 2007 gubernatorial elections following which he made claims of victory. Agbaso who passed over the 2011 contest in favour of Owelle Rochas Okorocha in this interview faults the actions and attitude of Governor Okorocha especially in the controversial impeachment of his own junior brother, Sir Jude Agbaso as deputy governor. Excerpts:
The accusation
If you recall in the third week of March this year, my brother, Mr. Jude Ikechukwu Agbaso then deputy Governor of Imo state, was accused to have received N458 million bribe from a Lebanese contractor.
Then, I in very clear terms said that my brother had nothing to do with the money that was alleged to have been taken as bribe money.
It
was Rochas Okorocha who approved the contract, awarded it, paid the
said contractor N1.3 billion of Imo State money without due process,
without even an award letter or any form of advance payment guarantee.
So the curious thing at the point was, why would a man who did all this,
who got all the benefits that were unprecedented from the governor, go
to the deputy governor who was away in India on official assignment, and
give him a bribe of almost 40% of the money collected?
That didn’t make sense to me. And I said that we as a family would do every thing humanly possible to get to the crux of the matter; we would do everything to find out who took this money, where the money is domiciled and who the beneficiaries we.
Last week, the news broke. EFCC, after putting us through grueling, painful, eight months of investigation finally cleared my brother or any Agbaso for that matter of any wrong doing, of any involvement whatsoever in the alleged bribe scandal. Again, this man who went to the Imo state house of assembly and said to them: “I am a Lebanese journey man, criminal contractor. I have taken 458 million naira of Imo state money and given to the deputy Governor.”
They kissed this man and told him to walk away. A man who said: “I have committed a crime against this state, against this nation,” they turned around and let him walk away, and began hunting a deputy governor who knew nothing.
Okorocha’s beef He said that I, the deputy governor’s elder brother, tried to impeach him, so he was trying to retaliate. Later on, he said that as long as Jude Agbaso remained the deputy governor, his life was at risk, that Agbaso could kill him.
This is someone whose deputy governor was impeached, someone who got into office on the same ticket as you, was impeached in the most brazen manner, malicious and mischevious manner, in a show of shame that this country had never seen before.
Before the impeachment panel could even sit to look at the papers, a report had been sent to the House of Assembly, before the House of Assembly could finish the process, a deputy governor nominee had been selected. Before the man could say Jack Robinson, a new deputy Governor was sworn in and yet he said he didn’t know anything about it.
Agreement on one term
There has been a catalog of anomalies committed by the administration of Rochas Okorocha. They are all documented here. You are just determined to destroy my name in the eyes of the Imo people and of Nigerians. You had an agreement with me that you were going to be governor for four years and we both signed this agreement witnessed by the national chairman of APGA.
And you made this pronouncement in churches, in halls, in stadia, everywhere you said to people that you had an agreement with Martin Agbaso that you would be governor for one term, and after that the governorship would go to Owerri Zone who rightfully should produce the next governor.
Instead of doing that, you’re looking for a way to tarnish my image. But it’s not going to work because there is a God out there who rules in the affairs of men and women. You can’t continue to mislead the people, and lie your way through life as if it’s business as usual. Rochas Okorocha, it is no longer going to be business as usual, every step you make will be checked.
On EFCC Clearance of Jude Agbaso
For the first time in this country, somebody was accused of something and the person wrote to EFCC, ICPC to come and investigate him. He said: “If you find me guilty, jail me. But if you find me innocent, say it so I can clear myself. Now the job of EFCC is to investigate the matter. When they are through with investigation, if they find you wanting on any of the allegations, then they take you to court for prosecution.
EFCC has concluded this investigation and found nothing. The money was said to have been given to you as bribe was lodged in two accounts, one in Dubai and one in Lebanon. We know where these monies are. EFCC has confirmed that he did not commit the crime. Joseph Dina himself has said in a written statement that he did not give him bribe. If Jude Agbaso committed any crime, EFCC would be prosecuting him in court.
Apology to Ndi Imo
First of all, I owe the people of Imo state a big apology. I was misled by Gov. Rochas Okorocha. I did not know his antecedents before I went into an agreement with him. By everything he has done in Imo state, he has shown that he is a person who does not honour his word.
What I saw was a philanthropist who trains other people’s children. And I believed that if he could do that, when he gets into a position of authority, our people would be better off. Everything I did was to put Imo State forward.
Because I was already in court for three and half years, fighting a legal battle over elections I won in 2007, I was not prepared to go into an election in 2011. This guy came and with his normal talk-talk I thought we had a good candidate. Please Ndi-Imo, I am sorry for bringing this man. He brought himself and I helped him. I thought it was the best thing to do at the time. But that is the limit of a human being. I could not see tomorrow.
Now, he is saying that he (Jude Agbaso) was incompetent. How can you say that a man is incompetent when his boss, the governor was the one who brought the contractor, paid him, awarded the contract without any advance payment guarantee or letter of award. This money, N1.3bn of Imo State money that is still at large was not paid through the ministry, but on the directive of the governor, issued (through) to the principal secretary to the governor, commissioner for finance and to the accountant general.
This payment did not go through the ministry at all. By the time the commissioner who was the deputy governor knew what was happening, the money had been paid. In fact, the first N200 million that was given to that man was paid in cash. So how do you say that such a man is incompetent?
Apology from Okorocha
I expected an apology from Rochas Okorocha? Yet instead of apologizing to someone who invested heavily in his campaign, and to the young man who has worked with you, you try to destroy him. Instead of apologizing, you’re even undermining the letter which exonerated him.
The most shameful thing that has come out of Rochas Okorocha’s mouth is that he paid Martin Agbaso for APGA ticket. I gave Rochas Okorocha my word that I would help him become governor. I funded his campaign. I brought people to give money. I don’t want to mention their names so I do not embarrass them. How can someone who he is now owing money for funding the campaign be the same person he gave money for ticket?
Everybody saw me canvass through every village canvassing for votes. My house was the command headquarters for the elections, everything was done in my house. What thank you do I get? You try to destroy my family name. And you see him singing church choruses and quoting the bible. When it’s convenient, he quotes the Qu’ran. Who is he to keep trying to mislead Nigerians and assume that we are foolish?
Economist and politician, Chief Martin Agbaso is one of the leading lights of politics in Imo State. He was the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA in the 2007 gubernatorial elections following which he made claims of victory. Agbaso who passed over the 2011 contest in favour of Owelle Rochas Okorocha in this interview faults the actions and attitude of Governor Okorocha especially in the controversial impeachment of his own junior brother, Sir Jude Agbaso as deputy governor. Excerpts:
The accusation
If you recall in the third week of March this year, my brother, Mr. Jude Ikechukwu Agbaso then deputy Governor of Imo state, was accused to have received N458 million bribe from a Lebanese contractor.
Then, I in very clear terms said that my brother had nothing to do with the money that was alleged to have been taken as bribe money.
It
was Rochas Okorocha who approved the contract, awarded it, paid the
said contractor N1.3 billion of Imo State money without due process,
without even an award letter or any form of advance payment guarantee.
So the curious thing at the point was, why would a man who did all this,
who got all the benefits that were unprecedented from the governor, go
to the deputy governor who was away in India on official assignment, and
give him a bribe of almost 40% of the money collected?That didn’t make sense to me. And I said that we as a family would do every thing humanly possible to get to the crux of the matter; we would do everything to find out who took this money, where the money is domiciled and who the beneficiaries we.
Last week, the news broke. EFCC, after putting us through grueling, painful, eight months of investigation finally cleared my brother or any Agbaso for that matter of any wrong doing, of any involvement whatsoever in the alleged bribe scandal. Again, this man who went to the Imo state house of assembly and said to them: “I am a Lebanese journey man, criminal contractor. I have taken 458 million naira of Imo state money and given to the deputy Governor.”
They kissed this man and told him to walk away. A man who said: “I have committed a crime against this state, against this nation,” they turned around and let him walk away, and began hunting a deputy governor who knew nothing.
Okorocha’s beef He said that I, the deputy governor’s elder brother, tried to impeach him, so he was trying to retaliate. Later on, he said that as long as Jude Agbaso remained the deputy governor, his life was at risk, that Agbaso could kill him.
This is someone whose deputy governor was impeached, someone who got into office on the same ticket as you, was impeached in the most brazen manner, malicious and mischevious manner, in a show of shame that this country had never seen before.
Before the impeachment panel could even sit to look at the papers, a report had been sent to the House of Assembly, before the House of Assembly could finish the process, a deputy governor nominee had been selected. Before the man could say Jack Robinson, a new deputy Governor was sworn in and yet he said he didn’t know anything about it.
Agreement on one term
There has been a catalog of anomalies committed by the administration of Rochas Okorocha. They are all documented here. You are just determined to destroy my name in the eyes of the Imo people and of Nigerians. You had an agreement with me that you were going to be governor for four years and we both signed this agreement witnessed by the national chairman of APGA.
And you made this pronouncement in churches, in halls, in stadia, everywhere you said to people that you had an agreement with Martin Agbaso that you would be governor for one term, and after that the governorship would go to Owerri Zone who rightfully should produce the next governor.
Instead of doing that, you’re looking for a way to tarnish my image. But it’s not going to work because there is a God out there who rules in the affairs of men and women. You can’t continue to mislead the people, and lie your way through life as if it’s business as usual. Rochas Okorocha, it is no longer going to be business as usual, every step you make will be checked.
On EFCC Clearance of Jude Agbaso
For the first time in this country, somebody was accused of something and the person wrote to EFCC, ICPC to come and investigate him. He said: “If you find me guilty, jail me. But if you find me innocent, say it so I can clear myself. Now the job of EFCC is to investigate the matter. When they are through with investigation, if they find you wanting on any of the allegations, then they take you to court for prosecution.
EFCC has concluded this investigation and found nothing. The money was said to have been given to you as bribe was lodged in two accounts, one in Dubai and one in Lebanon. We know where these monies are. EFCC has confirmed that he did not commit the crime. Joseph Dina himself has said in a written statement that he did not give him bribe. If Jude Agbaso committed any crime, EFCC would be prosecuting him in court.
Apology to Ndi Imo
First of all, I owe the people of Imo state a big apology. I was misled by Gov. Rochas Okorocha. I did not know his antecedents before I went into an agreement with him. By everything he has done in Imo state, he has shown that he is a person who does not honour his word.
What I saw was a philanthropist who trains other people’s children. And I believed that if he could do that, when he gets into a position of authority, our people would be better off. Everything I did was to put Imo State forward.
Because I was already in court for three and half years, fighting a legal battle over elections I won in 2007, I was not prepared to go into an election in 2011. This guy came and with his normal talk-talk I thought we had a good candidate. Please Ndi-Imo, I am sorry for bringing this man. He brought himself and I helped him. I thought it was the best thing to do at the time. But that is the limit of a human being. I could not see tomorrow.
Now, he is saying that he (Jude Agbaso) was incompetent. How can you say that a man is incompetent when his boss, the governor was the one who brought the contractor, paid him, awarded the contract without any advance payment guarantee or letter of award. This money, N1.3bn of Imo State money that is still at large was not paid through the ministry, but on the directive of the governor, issued (through) to the principal secretary to the governor, commissioner for finance and to the accountant general.
This payment did not go through the ministry at all. By the time the commissioner who was the deputy governor knew what was happening, the money had been paid. In fact, the first N200 million that was given to that man was paid in cash. So how do you say that such a man is incompetent?
Apology from Okorocha
I expected an apology from Rochas Okorocha? Yet instead of apologizing to someone who invested heavily in his campaign, and to the young man who has worked with you, you try to destroy him. Instead of apologizing, you’re even undermining the letter which exonerated him.
The most shameful thing that has come out of Rochas Okorocha’s mouth is that he paid Martin Agbaso for APGA ticket. I gave Rochas Okorocha my word that I would help him become governor. I funded his campaign. I brought people to give money. I don’t want to mention their names so I do not embarrass them. How can someone who he is now owing money for funding the campaign be the same person he gave money for ticket?
Everybody saw me canvass through every village canvassing for votes. My house was the command headquarters for the elections, everything was done in my house. What thank you do I get? You try to destroy my family name. And you see him singing church choruses and quoting the bible. When it’s convenient, he quotes the Qu’ran. Who is he to keep trying to mislead Nigerians and assume that we are foolish?
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