Okorocha Speaks On Withdrawing N17bn From Imo Accounts

The outgoing governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha, has urged the public to ignore what he termed the posturing of the incoming Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government, saying the party lacks the right to harass the current government and financial institutions until they were sworn in.

Naija News reports that the governor was reacting to the allegation by the PDP that he withdrew 17bn from four banks in three days and converted government property to personal use.

The opposition party had also alleged that Okorocha made withdrawals from Access Bank, Zenith Bank, Unity Bank and Skye Bank (Polaris) amounting to over N17bn between Tuesday, March 12, 2019, and Thursday, March 14, 2019.

“In the last two days alone, Governor Okorocha and his cronies transferred ownership and re-registered more than 150 government vehicles to individuals. Government property including furniture and electronics in Government House, Owerri, are being moved out to Ogboko, Ideato South, the governor’s country home.

“About 300 uninstalled transformers have been moved to the governor’s home in Ogboko,” the opposition party had said.

Reacting to the allegation, Okorocha, through his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, said: “There is a government in place and until May 29, 2019, that government should continue to work in the interest of the state and her people and also continue to carry out programmes and policies for the same purpose, until its tenure ends. To begin to harass or give directives to financial institutions in the state is an act of hostility and they should know that.

“The financial institutions in the state should disregard such directive and continue to do the right thing and take the right action since the best they can do is to confront the outgoing government on any financial transaction they have reservations about when they take over,” he added.