From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, yesterday appealed to the Archbishop of Enugu (Anglican Diocese), Emmanuel Chukwuma, not to talk like a politician, but as an ordained and revered man of God.
Governor Okorocha stated while reacting to the allegation of wasteful spending of the state’s fund, and the maltreating of workers and pensioners leveled against him by the prelate.
A statement by Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Okorocha, said: “We have read in the media and, indeed, with reservation, statements credited to the Bishop of Enugu Anglican Diocese, Rev. Emmanuel Chukwuma, accusing Governor Rochas Okorocha of “wasteful spending of state fund” and maltreatment of workers and pensioners. He then called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the governor to order.
“Honestly, we do not find it easy reacting to claims by notable men of God like Bishop Chukwuma, but in the instant case, the bishop spoke not only as a politician, but as a card-carrying member of a political party and not as a bishop.
“Reason being that politicians are, most of the times, associated with blackmail, propaganda and marketing of falsehood, but ordained ministers of God are believed to be agents of truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
“Governor Okorocha’s achievements as governor in less than seven years, have exceeded or superseded the achievements of all the administrations before him since 1976 when the state was created. “We have been making this harmless claim and challenge anybody or group with counter claim to indicate or come forward, so we can be proved right or wrong. And nobody or group has done that.
“We have also claimed publicly that Governor Okorocha has more than 1,000 verifiable projects to the credit of his administration, and we have thrown up the challenge that anybody with any claim in the contrary should equally come forward, so we can also be proved right or wrong.”
Onwuemeodo maintained that Governor Okorocha should be commended for being prudent instead of being wrongly accused of wasteful spending.
“And now that a highly revered priest in the calibre of Bishop Chukwuma has come up with such worrisome claim, we want to humbly ask him to take us up on our own challenges or claims. Let him come to Imo State and see things himself.”