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Tag: Okorocha

  • Confusion trails abduction of Okorocha’s son-in-law as Police declare he was arrested

    Confusion trails abduction of Okorocha’s son-in-law as Police declare he was arrested

    Confusion seems to be shrouding the alleged abduction of Senator Rochas Okorocha’s son-in-law, Uche Nwosu as Imo Police Command on Sunday claimed he is in their custody.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports the police in a swift reaction to stories alluding to the arrest of Nwosu, via a release said he was not abducted but arrested by the police.

    Read full statement below:

    ARREST OF CHIEF UCHE NWOSU

    This is to inform the general public that chief Uche Nwosu was not kidnapped but was arrested by the police and Imo state police command is aware of the arrest and presently he is in police custody.

    This is to refute the earlier news that has being making rounds on social media that he was kidnapped by unknown persons / gunmen.

    The Commissioner of Police while using this medium to assure imolites of the command’s commitment in ensuring the safety of Life and prosperity this yuletide seasons , adviced the general public to always shun fake news .

    CSP MICHAEL ABATTAM POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
    FOR: COMMISSIONER OF POLICE IMO STATE COMMAND.

  • Investigate Uzodinma’s allegation that I am behind security crisis in Imo, Okorocha tells IGP

    Investigate Uzodinma’s allegation that I am behind security crisis in Imo, Okorocha tells IGP

    Former governor of Imo State Senator Rochas Okorocha has urged Inspector General of Police to investigate Governor Hope Uzodimma’s allegation that he is behind insecurity in the state.

    Governor Hope Uzodimma had accused Senator Rochas Okorocha of being behind the ugly and worrisome security situation in Imo State.

    The former governor on Saturday described Uzodimma’s statement as unguarded accusation.

    Okorocha in a statement he released by his Special Adviser on media, Sam Onwuemeodo said “Okorocha had, out of genuine and patriotic Concern about the Security Challenges of the State, which he governed for eight years and Orlu zone in particular, of which , he is the Senator, raised the issue at the Senate plenary.”

    He added “Okorocha had called for the intervention of the Senate and other relevant bodies and persons, all in an effort to see how to end the lingering security problem in Imo.

    “One had expected the Imo governor, to even Commend Okorocha for drawing the attention of the red chamber of the National Assembly to what has been going on in Imo, in terms of security challenges.

    Instead of taking that path, the lmo governor decided to take the route of abuses and propaganda against his brother Senator, who had governed the State before him and who is also the Senator of his Zone. He should have collaborated Okorocha’s fresh ideas on the floor of the Senate, on how to solve the Imo Security problem.

    “The good news is that, Nigerians in general and Imo people in particular, know Okorocha and his history. He has the history of peace, harmony and unity. The history of uplifting life and building the Nation. The history of tolerance. He has Conviviality as a guide or principle.

    “We would rather urge the Imo Governor to see every Imo man and woman as a Stakeholder in the Imo project. And carry everybody along to see how best, to bring out the long known peaceful State from the Current quagmire. This is not what Imo was known for. And all hands must be on deck, to get the problem solved. It does not require muscle-flexing. Or push me, I push you.

    “Having said all these, it is our candid request, that the Inspector-General of Police and other concerned security agencies, should investigate the Imo governor’s accusation against Okorocha, with the aim of finding out the truth or otherwise of this costly accusation. We would also delight that the outcome of their findings be made public, in due course.

    “Okorocha governed Imo for eight years and ensured enviable peace, water-tight Security, bubbling and lively State and would not imagine or have any reason to dream of encouraging security collapse in his dear State. This is not possible and can never be possible.

     

  • JUST IN: Court rejects Okorocha’s appeal to stop confiscation of properties

    JUST IN: Court rejects Okorocha’s appeal to stop confiscation of properties

    A court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday declined former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha’s, application to restrain the Imo State Government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from confiscating his properties.

    A State High Court in Owerri had earlier (on Monday) ordered the final and absolute forfeiture of Royal Palm Springs Hotel and other properties said to belong to Senator Okorocha and other members of his family.

    According to a ruling by Justice Fred Njemanze, who was sitting as a vacation judge, Okorocha’s counsel failed to give concrete and verifiable reasons why a final and absolute forfeiture order should not be given in favour of the Imo state government.

    Justice Njemanze added that the suit filed against Imo State Government by Okorocha’s counsel was not properly filed.

    He also described it as a surplusage, a term in law which means a statement completely irrelevant to a matter.

    Justice Njemanze maintained that the White Paper Gazette by the state government is a legal binding document.

    The judge concluded that there was no concrete reason before it for why the forfeiture should not be made absolute and final, hence the state government could go ahead and do whatever it deems fit to do with the properties.

    As for persons who might have made purchases on such properties, Justice Njamanze said they are at liberty to approach the court to prove their titles.

  • Court orders final, absolute forfeiture of properties linked to Okorocha

    Court orders final, absolute forfeiture of properties linked to Okorocha

    A State High Court in Owerri has ordered the final and absolute forfeiture of Royal Palm Springs Hotel and other properties said to belong to Senator Rochas Okorocha and other members of his family.

    The forfeited properties are contained in pages 226 to 272 of the Imo state Government white paper report by a Judicial Commission of Enquiry on Recovery of Lands and other related matters.

    According to the ruling by Justice Fred Njemanze, who was sitting as a vacation judge, Okorocha’s counsel failed to give concrete and verifiable reasons why a final and absolute forfeiture order should not be given in favour of the Imo state government.

    Justice Njemanze added that the suit filed against Imo state Government by Okorocha’s counsel was not properly filed.

    He also described it as a surplusage, a term in lawn which means a useless statement completely irrelevant to a matter.

    Justice Njemanze maintained that the white paper gazette by the Imo state Government is a legal binding document.

    The judge concluded that there was no concrete reason before it why the forfeiture should not be made absolute and final, hence the Imo state Government can go ahead and do whatever it deems fit to do with the properties.

    As for persons who might have made purchase on such properties, Justice Njamanze said they are at liberty to approach the court to prove their titles.

    However, the properties as at today have been returned to the Imo state Government.

    Justice Fred Njamanze had February 26 given an interim order of forfeiture on the properties urging Senator Rochas Okorocha to approach the court to show case as to why a final and absolute order of forfeiture should not be given over the properties following an application brought by Mr Louis Alozie, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, on behalf of the state government.

    This prompted Okorocha’s counsel to file a preliminary injunction to stop the final forfeiture citing forceful eviction and that the suit by the Imo state Government was not properly Instituted.

    Some of the properties forfeited include:

    1. Eastern Palm University, Ogboko
    2. Royal Spring Palm Hotels and Apartments
    3. IBC staff quarters said to have been illegally acquired for the purpose of Rochas Foundation College
    4. Owerri magistrate quarters, Orlu road/cooperative office/Girls Guide allegedly converted to private use housing market square and Kilimanjaro eatery
    5. Public building situated at plot B/2 Otamiri South Extension Layout given to the ministry of women affairs for establishing a skills acquisition centre for women, allegedly acquired for the benefit of Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha’s all-in Mall along Aba road.
    6. Plot P5, Naze residential layout, initially part of primary school management board but now annexed to All-In Mall along Aba Road, belonging to Mrs Nkechi Okorocha
    7. And all the properties contained from pages 226 to 272 of the government white paper on the recommendation of the judicial commission of inquiry into land administration in Imo state from June 2006 to May 2019”.

  • Alleged anti-party activities: APC raises alarm over fake suspension letter to Okorocha

    Alleged anti-party activities: APC raises alarm over fake suspension letter to Okorocha

    By Emman Ovuakporie

    The All Progressives Congress, APC has denied suspending Senator Rochas Okorocha as captured in a letter in circulation.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) recalls that in the last 72hours that Okorocha was at the verge of dumping APC for the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in a matter of days before the sudden emergence of a letter indicating that he has been suspended.
    But APC in a letter dated July 13 denied ever issuing such a letter.

    In the letter signed by Sen. John James Akpanudoedeh National
    Secretary Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) said:

    “It has come to the attention of the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that a fake letter of a purported suspension of Senator Rochas Okorocha from the party is circulating in the public space.

    “Fifth columnists and forgers have obviously taken advantage of the unfortunate and recent leaks of our official correspondences with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to copy and paste forged signatures of the CECPC Chaiman and Secretary on equally fake letters.

    “The APC does not currently have a “National Working Committee” as stated in the fake letter, but a Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) which has been saddled with the mandate to reposition, unite and strengthen our great party.

    “We call on the discerning public to be wary of fifth columnists and jobbers relentlessly scheming to use every opportunity to stoke crisis in the party and polity through fake news. We also urge the media to always rely on our well-known and official communication and punlicity channels to get information on the activities of the party.

    “We urge everyone to discountenance the fake letter as it is a figment of the imagination of fifth columnists.

    See fake letter below:

  • Alleged suspension: I can’t leave APC for ‘Gatecrasher’ Uzodimma – Okorocha

    Alleged suspension: I can’t leave APC for ‘Gatecrasher’ Uzodimma – Okorocha

    Senator Rochas Okorocha has reacted to the false report of his suspension from the All Progressives Congress, blaming it all on his successor, Hope Uzodimma.

    In a statement by his media adviser Sam Onwuemeodo, Okorocha pointedly accused Uzodimma for masterminding the fake story.

    Okorocha, however, told Uzodimma that he could not push him out of APC, of which he was a founding member.

    “Governor Uzodinma was never a member of APC. He joined APC after he had been announced governor by the Supreme Court.

    “The Supreme Court had given judgement that the candidate of APC in the 2019 governorship election was Uche Nwosu. Showing that, Chief Uzodinma was a gatecrasher in APC.

    “Yet, he does not want to be humble about that. He wants those who laboured and blackmailed over APC to leave the party for him. There would not have been APC in Imo today, if Okorocha didn’t take the political risk he took to make Imo APC”, the statement by Onwuemeodo read.

    Hammering Uzodimma further, Onwuemeodo said:

    “He had come up with the fake story of Okorocha leaving APC, because the National Secretariat of the Party had set up a reconciliation Committee.

    “And also because of Okorocha’s visit to the National Office of the Party, with men and women who had sacrificed all they had, to make APC the Party to beat in Imo. And with National Assembly members who have the mandate of the people.

    “Governor Uzodinma is reaping where he did not sow and one had expected him to be sober about that. But he has continued to use blackmail to see how the party could be abandoned for him. At what point did Chief Uzodinma join APC?

    “He had destroyed APC in Imo with his style of governance, which is anti-people. The economy of the State has been grounded. Every sector in Imo is in coma. He is using intimidation and threats to govern Imo people. He has demarketed APC in Imo.

    “Governor Uzodinma might be the one working to destroy APC before joining another party, because he is not doing anything to encourage the party and its members in the State.

    “Governor Uzodinma should leave Okorocha alone and face governance”, Onwuemeodo added.

    Meanwhile Uzodimma escalated the tension between him and Okorocha by shutting down his Rochas Foundation College in Oji Owerri.

    An aide of Uzodimma said the college was taken over as part of efforts to recover looted funds in the state.

  • Property seizure: Okorocha begs court to set aside Imo panels’ decisions

    Property seizure: Okorocha begs court to set aside Imo panels’ decisions

    Former Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo, on Tuesday, urged the Federal High Court, Abuja, to make an order setting aside the seizure and sealing of some of his property by the state government.
    Okorocha also asked Justice Ahmed Mohammed to restrain the defendants from investigating him or implement the recommendations of the seven panels set up to probe him while he served as the state governor between June 2006 and May 2019 pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
    The request was contained in a motion on notice brought by his lawyer, Oba Maduabuchi, SAN, dated and filed on June 25.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Okorocha, Senator representing Imo West Senatorial District, in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/558/2020 filed on May 28, 2020, had urged the court to restrain the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and others from probing him.
    While the EFCC is the 1st respondent, the 2nd to 48th respondents are the Attorney General (AG) of Imo and members of the seven panels set up to probe previous administrations in the state.
    However, only the EFCC was represented in court on Tuesday.
    Maduabuchi told the court that the latest application sought a restoration of the status quo despite the white paper issued by the state government panels.
    The senior lawyer said despite the service of the motion on the 2nd to 48th defendants, none of them appeared in court.
    According to him, one is not surprised about their absence in court because that has been their attitude.
    “It is surprising that the attorney general of the state, who was served processes in the suit since last year, has not filed anything,” he said.
    Maduabuchi informed that immediately an order of stay of proceedings against the panels was granted by the court, the state government panels quickly accelerated their proceedings and concluded their findings.
    “Copies of the white paper issued by the panels were exhibited in the application,” he said.
    The lawyer said the anti-graft agency had always been in court and had since filed its defence.
    “For the attorney general and the panels, we can go to hell.
    “But I know my lord is not completely powerless,” he said.
    Counsel to the EFCC, G.C. Ofulue, did not oppose Maduabuchi’s application.
    Justice Mohammed adjourned the matter until July 15 for hearing in the plaintiff’s motion on notice.
    He also ordered that hearing notices be issued to the 2nd to 48th defendants.
    NAN reports that some of the property listed in the motion include: Eastern Palm University Ogboko; Royal Spring Palm Hotels and Apartments, Akachi Road, Owerri, Imo; Imo Broad Casting Corporation Staff Quarters, Orji or Rochas Foundation Collage Orji; Public Building Plot B/2 Otamiri South Extension Layout and Magistrate Quarters, Orlu Road /Corporate Office including market square Kilimanjaro.
    Others are Plot 5 Naze Residential Layout and all property contained in pages 226 to 272 of the government white paper on the Florence Duruoha Igwe judicial Commission of inquiry into land Administration in Imo State from June 2006 to May 2019.
  • Igbos are not killers, Okorocha warns against ethnic profiling

    Igbos are not killers, Okorocha warns against ethnic profiling

    Former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has warned against the ethnic profiling of Igbo people, insisting they “are not killers”.

    Okorocha stated this on Thursday, during the centenary celebration in honour of the former Premier of Eastern Nigeria, the late Michael Okpara, in Abuja.

    “I appeal to all Nigerians to stop the ethnic profiling of the Igbo.

    Gulak: Track down, arrest killers of Jonathan’s ex-aide – APC to security agencies

    “They are not murderers, otherwise they won’t be in Kano or Lagos doing business.

    “Indeed, we are passing through one of the ugliest moments of our history,” he said.

    His comments come almost a week after the killing of Ahmed Gulak, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain.

    Gulak, an ex-political adviser to former President, Goodluck Jonathan, was killed in Owerri, Imo State at the weekend.

    Gulak, who conducted the APC primary election in Imo State prior to the 2019 general elections, had accused Okorocha of, among other things, taking him hostage and forcing him to announce the results in his favour.

  • Biafra: Okorocha slams Imo Government, denies giving IPOB members N500m as governor

    Biafra: Okorocha slams Imo Government, denies giving IPOB members N500m as governor

    Former governor of the lmo State Rochas Okorocha has denied giving the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) N500 million when he held sway as Chief Security Officer of the state.

    Okorocha said that the current Government was rattled and cowed by his superlative outing on Channels’ Television, Sunday night, and came up with the story that he gave IPOB N500 million, while he was governor.

    The former governor now a senator who spoke through his Media Adviser, Sam Onwuemeodo said that those who watched the programme while it was on would attest or confirm that Okorocha had, at no time, claimed that he gave IPOB N500 million.

    He said Okorocha only explained intelligently, how he managed the group, using God-given wisdom and knowledge, to ensure that Imo enjoyed maximum peace throughout the eight years he had held sway, as the Executive Governor of Imo State.

    “Senator Okorocha had talked about how he released N250 million, on two occasions, totaling N500 million, for empowerment programme, for Militants in the oil areas of Ohaji/Egbema/Oguta, who had accepted his appeal to embrace peace and surrender their arms. And that was how total peace returned to those areas.

    “And he also enlisted thousands of them and other youths, into Imo Security Network, (ISN), Imo Civil Guard, Niger Delta Security Network, Youth Must Work Programme and so on, with their stipends being N15, 000 or N20, 000 each, monthly.

    Okorocha never claimed to have given IPOB N500 million. The Imo government is an expert in chasing shadows, and passing buck or looking for scapegoats.

    Okorocha’s appearance on Channels’ TV and how he handled the questions didn’t go down well with lmo government and its agents. They decided, therefore, to inject a virus into that exciting outing.

    “To say the least, the government in lmo, wants to prevail by strength,” he stated.

  • Becoming a governor made me poorer —Okorocha

    Becoming a governor made me poorer —Okorocha

    Former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has said that he became poorer after ruling the state for eight years.

    The Senator representing Imo West District at the ninth Senate said this while denying claims that he acquired properties with government funds when he appeared as a guest on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.

    He said, “I challenge anybody to prove that I acquired any property with any government fund.

    “I think people have forgotten that I was Rochas before becoming the governor of Imo State; I think they have forgotten completely.

    “If anything, becoming a governor made me even poorer than what I was in the past. I don’t know whether I acquired any property here in Abuja, there is none.”

    While recounting his encounter with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, he said, “I said to them (EFCC) that I have not come to respond to your call because there is already a matter in court and once a matter is sub judice, you cannot talk about it.

    “Imo State government has taken me to court on the same subject matter, and we are at the Federal High Court in Abuja on the same subject matter.

    “EFCC is doing their job because if there is no report, they can’t nose into whatever you are doing; EFCC is not witch-hunting, they are acting on a petition being written by somebody.”