Ihedioha to Okorocha: Don’t provoke unnecessary altercation

Imo State Governor-elect, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, has taken a swipe at a recent press statement signed by Governor Rochas Okorocha’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Samuel Onwuemeodo, to the effect that the Governor has set up a 52-member Joint Transition Committee.

Chief Ihedioha, who spoke through his media aide, Mr. Chibuike Onyeukwu, described the claim as “a deliberate misrepresentation of facts, aimed at provoking unnecessary altercation between both committees”. According to Mr. Onyeukwu, “what took place at the Government House on May 3, 2019, was only a meeting of the 31-member Committee, headed by Mr Ernest Ebi, drawn from the Committee inaugurated by the Governor-elect, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, and the 21-member transition committee of Governor Rochas Okorocha.”

While saying that “there was no fresh inauguration of a 52-member Committee by the Governor or his representative, as claimed by the said release”, Mr. Onyeukwu however said that the Governor and his successor had previously and separately inaugurated their respective committees. Part of the press statement read: “We consider as needless, the deliberate misrepresentation of facts, aimed at provoking unnecessary altercation between both committees at a time the smooth transition should be our utmost priority.

“The team to the Government House led by Barr. Chris Okewulonu, had previously been inaugurated by the Governor-elect, while Governor Okorocha had also inaugurated his team the previous day, all in a bid to ensure a hitch-free transition. It was therefore inappropriate for the said press statement to convey the erroneous impression that there was a fresh inauguration when the two teams interfaced.

“It is important that correct information on the activities of the two Committees is, at all times, fed the public to ensure a seamless and smooth transition by May 29, 2019.” Vanguard recalls that Onwuemeodo claimed that “a 52-member joint transition committee to work for a hitch-free handover on May 29, 2019, has been inaugurated by Governor Rochas Okorocha, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of Imo State, and Chairman of the Joint Committee, Engr. Mark Uchendu”. Onwuemeodo also said that “after the inauguration, the Joint Committee had their inaugural meeting, during which they set up a Small Technical Committee of about 10 persons to provide a road map”.musicnews