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Tag: Okorocha

  • Igbos cannot make presidency alone in 2023 – Okorocha

    Igbos cannot make presidency alone in 2023 – Okorocha

    Rochas Okorocha, the Imo West Senator has declared that the South East alone can’t make themselves President in 2023.

    The Senator disclosed this while addressing newsmen. on Wednesday, in Abuja.

    Okorocha reiterated that the southeast needs the support of the North and other geopolitical regions to achieve its aim of producing Nigeria’s president in 2023. He stated that Nigeria needs a president who would continue with the efforts of uniting the country, create jobs and also guarantee security.

    He said: “The Igbo alone cannot make themselves the president. The quicker they come together and start shoring up support from the North and other parts of the region the better it is to realise the dream.

    “I know we shall come up to that point one day when who becomes the president would not be based on tribe or religion. For as long we keep promoting tribal and religious sentiments, we are not getting it right.”

    The immediate past governor of Imo State insisted that ethnicity or religion should have no basis in politics as poverty knows no tribe or religion.

    Okorocha stated that power must be given to anyone who has the vision irrespective of where he comes from “because tribe cannot put food on the table of the common man or guarantee security.”

    “As you observe, the politics of today, everybody looks up to the North because it has a large chunk of vote to determine who becomes the president of Nigeria. One good thing I know of the North, especially the Islamic world, is that a good Muslim is a man of conscience who believes in equity, justice, and unity.

    “That is the only hope for anybody who wants to contest from the southern region. The North can say for equity and not showing tribal and religious differences, that the North, having served as president, let someone else from the South be the next president,” he added.

  • Police foil attempt to cart away seized properties in Okorocha’s warehouse

    Police foil attempt to cart away seized properties in Okorocha’s warehouse

    The police in Imo State on Monday foiled an attempt by some people to cart away the property stocked in one of the warehouses seized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Owerri, the state capital.

    The police also impounded two trailers allegedly deployed to evacuate the property stocked in the warehouse and arrested 12 suspects in connection with the crime.

    The warehouse, owned by Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha, wife of the immediate past governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, is situated along Aba Road, Owerri.

    According to one of the police officers at the facility, the police acted on tip-off, adding that 12 persons were arrested in the act.

    “Following a tip-off last night (Sunday), after two trailers had moved into the warehouse late in the night, a police team was dispatched to the premises”, said the officer, who spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity.

    He added, “Those inside the premises, however, refused to open the gate. The police team, therefore, cordoned off the building till this morning (Monday, 30/9/19) when we stormed the premises. The two trailers were impounded and 12 persons arrested.”

    The spokesman of the state police command, ASP Orlando Ikokwu confirmed the incident, adding that two trailers were impounded and taken to the premises of the command headquarters, Owerri.

    It could be recalled that EFCC had last two months ago sealed some properties traced to the former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, as well as those of his family members and cronies.

    The properties include: Dews of Hope Hospital traced to Dr. Paschal Obi, former Principal Secretary to Okorocha and current member of the House of Representatives; Market Square Super Market; All in One Shop; and premises belonging to Imo State Broadcasting Corporation now housing Rochas Foundation College owned by Senator Okoroacha.

    Other properties seized by the EFCC include: East High Academy and East High College, owned by Okorocha’s daughter, Uloma Okorocha-Nwosu and Royal Spring Palm Hotel and Apartment, a 16 block cum 96 flats and eight bungalow multi-million naira estate traced to Okorocha’s wife.

  • Don’t sell properties under interim order, Court tells Okorocha

    Don’t sell properties under interim order, Court tells Okorocha

    A Federal High sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has ordered a former governor of Imo State, Chief Rochas Okorocha and his family not to sell or alienate any of the properties that are subject of an interim order of the court pending the conclusion of investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Justice K Omotosho gave the consequential order on Friday while vacating the July 25, 2019 interim order of forfeiture of five properties owned by Okorocha and his family to the Federal Government.

    The affected properties are: Rochas Foundation College, Owerri; All in One Shopping Mall, East High Academy; East High College and Royal Spring Palm Hotel & Apartments.

    The court vacated the earlier order following five separate motions on notice filled by the Registered Trustees of Rochas Foundation College, All-in One Limited, Royal Spring Palm Apartments Limited, Registered Trustees of Women of Divine Destiny Initiative and Uluoma Okorocha Nwosu to challenge the order on August 8.

    The applicants, through the motions, urged the court to vacate the interim forfeiture order.

    According to a statement made available to newsmen by EFCC’s Head, Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, the commission, in response, filed counter-affidavits to the motions of the applicants on 19 August, 2019.

    The statement added that on August 21, when the case came up for hearing, the applicants informed the court that they were served with the commission’s counter-affidavits and asked for an adjournment which was granted by court.

    When the case came up on September 9 for hearing of the motions, the applicants filed further affidavits and in reply to these further affidavits, the EFCC filed counter-affidavits and served the same day.

  • Okorocha congratulates Buhari’s victory at tribunal

    Okorocha congratulates Buhari’s victory at tribunal

    The Senator representing Imo West Senatorial District Rochas Okorocha has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his victory at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

    According to a press release issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Sam Onwuemeodo, Okorocha said that the president’s victory is for all ”lovers of democracy in and outside the country as it signifies a light at the end of the tunnel for Nigeria’s democracy.”

    Okorocha stated that with the victory, the president would be more encouraged to continue to work for the unity, progress and peace of the nation, without the distractions of the case.

    He commended the tribunal members for “doing a good job and making the nation proud.”

    The senator also commended Alhaji Atiku Abubakar for “giving a good account of himself and for his contributions to the nation’s democracy.”

  • APC may collapse after Buhari’s tenure – Okorocha

    APC may collapse after Buhari’s tenure – Okorocha

    Senator Rochas Okorocha believes that the All Progressives Congress may crumble after the exit of President Muhammadu Buhari and therefore called for an overhauling of the party leadership to avert this.

    The former governor of Imo gave this view at an interaction with newsmen in Abuja, after the election tribunal affirmed his electoral victory.

    Okorocha said Buhari’s reputation appears to be the binding factor of APC in addition to the fact that the North was arguably the major decider in Nigeria’s politics.

    “I have never thought of leaving the party; I feel that time will take care of most things but my only worry is that the party may disappear with the exit of President Buhari.

    “For the moment, Buhari seems to be the strongest pillar upon which this party is built.

    “If nothing is done to correct the injustices in our party at the national level, then, I fear that this party may disappear with Buhari’s exit.

    “Our party is already busy thinking about the presidency in 2023 and not supporting the issue of governance which is what we have right now.

    “The score of our party or its assessment depends on what we have done with governance and what we have done with politics.

    “These are some of the problems we have and thinking that being APC is a platform to catch political power.

    “People have begun to zone where the president will come from and where he will not come from, leaving the issue of governance; so, these have been some of the challenges we have as a party but I hope they will be addressed.

    “But that cannot be complete unless we do some surgical movement in the leadership of the party,” Okorocha added.

    He noted that Nigerians would judge their leaders on the basis of what they had done as a government before they could decide what to do with them in 2023.

    The former Imo governor further said that he was not in a hurry to make decisions on the next line of action following his suspension from the party.

    He, however, revealed that his in-law, Mr Uche Nwosu, would return to APC from AA if he eventually reclaimed his governorship mandate.

    Okorocha commended the judiciary for upholding his election describing the tribunal’s ruling as a “proof of his innocence” after INEC accused him of obtaining victory through duress.

  • Okorocha, wife, others to forfeit assets to EFCC

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has obtained orders for the interim forfeiture of assets traced to a former Imo governor, Rochas Okorocha, and his wife.

    The Head, Enugu Zonal Office of the commission, Mr Usman Imam, disclosed this on Wednesday in Enugu while briefing newsmen on the activities of the commission in the last eight months.

    Imam said that the commission also obtained similar order on a property traced to a former aide to Okorocha, Mr Paschal Obi, and the former governor’s daughter.

    He said that the commission had established prima facie cases against the suspects which they would answer to.

    Imam said that the commission would like to know how the Rochas Foundation and other accomplices acquired and or converted some of the property for personal use.

    He listed some of the property to include a 16-block cum 96 flats and an eight-bungalow multimillion naira estate, hotel, two schools, shopping plaza, supermarket, hospital and four vehicles.

    The EFCC chief said that while the hospital was traced to Obi, the remaining property were traced to the former governor and his family, including his wife and daughter.

    “We hope to get permanent forfeiture orders on the property in order to return them to the people of the state,” he said.

    Imam said that all the facilities, including the schools, would remain functional as the commission would not like to shut them down for the sake of the students and other users.

    “Other recoveries were made and are awaiting forfeiture, but for the court vacation. They include a twin three-storey building with a three bedroom bungalow and a duplex, both in Enugu.

    “The property were recovered from cyber fraudsters,” he said.

    Imam said that the commission, within the period, recovered N213.85 million and 10, 600 US dollars.

    “In one of such recoveries, one Augustine Ejimokor, who defrauded his victim of the sum of 5,000 US dollars and used it to acquire a Mercedez Benz C300 was ordered to forfeit the vehicle.

    “So far, the zone has arrested 88 suspected fraudsters since 2015, with 70 of them in 2019. This underscores the efforts of the present zonal head in conformity with the acting chairman’s directives,” he said.

    Imam said that the zone also obtained 59 convictions out of whom were the 51 arrested and prosecuted in 2019.

  • Imo Taskforce raids Okorocha’s wife’s business mall

    Barely 48 hours after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) sealed business premises belonging to the wife of the immediate past governor of Imo State, Nneoma Okorocha, for investigation, officials of the State Government Committee on Recovery of Government Property, broke into the premises in search of stolen property.
    The Committee headed by Jasper Ndubuaku was reported to have broken into the Warehouse at the ‘All In’, where the former First Lady sells furniture and other household items, where they identified some furniture as government property.
    Recall that the Committee had sometime in June, raided a business complex, House of Freeda, owned by daughter of the former governor, Mrs. Uloma Nwosu, in search of government property.
    Addressing journalists, Ndubuaku, Chairman of the Committee, said that the Committee had a Court Order to raid the business premises and recover stolen government property, having gotten a credible intelligence that government properties were warehoused in the premises but were obstructed from carrying out their duties by the Police.
    He disclosed that the premises has been sealed formerly by the state government, adding that nobody, including the owners will be allowed entry into the premises pending further actions
    But the former governor, Rochas Okorocha, has described the invasion of his wife’s shop as height of brigandage.
    A statement signed by his Media Adviser, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, read, “Nigerians should watch closely the brigandage going on in lmo. Leaders and members of the so-called government’s property Recovery Committee are at the shop at Naze near Owerri owned by Dr Mrs Nkeocha Okorocha which the EFCC had marked for investigation last Tuesday following flood of petitions by the PDP government in the state and they are opening the containers and looting the contents. The looting is going on at the moment. Why won’t they allow the EFCC to conclude their investigation? Governor lhedioha has lost control.
    “For the avoidance of doubt, these containers have been in the premises of the shop EFCC marked for investigation last Tuesday. And they are still there before the jasper Ndubuaku led looters went to the place. What if at the end of the day the EFCC investigation establishes that this shop has no relationship with the last administration. I think these guys are extremely careless”.
    It added that, “again we have been shouting for the world to hear our voice. Aside their inviting the EFCC we have asked them to publish whatever they have against Rochas Okorocha and the family or anybody that served in the Rescue Mission government but they have not been forthcoming. The implication of all these is that where restraint is not applied and the governor can not control the recklessness, self-help may be the last resort . And nobody should be blamed”.
    “For the avoidance of doubt, these containers have been in the premises of the shop EFCC marked for investigation last Tuesday. And they are still there before the jasper Ndubuaku led looters went to the place. What if at the end of the day the EFCC investigation establishes that this shop has no relationship with the last administration. I think these guys are extremely careless”.

  • Why we clamped down on Okorocha's choice properties, family members – EFCC

    Why we clamped down on Okorocha's choice properties, family members – EFCC

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)on Wednesday said it decided to mark nine choice assets of ex-Governor Rochas Okorocha and his relations because they refused to appear for questioning.
    The properties are Royal Spring Palm Hotel and Apartment, a 16 block cum 96 flats and eight bungalow multi-million Naira estate allegedly belonging to Okorocha’s wife; a hospital-owned by Dr. Paschal Obi, former Principal Secretary to ex-governor Okorocha; and East High Academy and East High College, owned by Okorocha’s daughter, Uloma Okorocha-Nwosu among others.
    The commission said it at no time “raided” nor “harassed” anyone in the course of marking the properties.
    It denied raiding and displacing students of Rochas Foundation College because the school was not in session
    It asked Nigerians to disregard the antics of some unscrupulous politicians and fraudsters.
    The EFCC made the clarifications in a statement in Abuja through its Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Tony Orilade.
    The statement said: “The EFCC wishes to state that its Enugu Zonal Office on Tuesday traced and marked some properties traced to the former Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha as well as those of his family members and cronies.
    “The marking of the properties which is a fall-out of our painstaking investigation, is as a result of the failure of the suspects to honour the Commission’s invitation for questioning on the propriety of their acquisition.
    “The properties include: Dews of Hope Hospital traced to Dr. Paschal Obi, former Principal Secretary to ex-governor Okorocha; Market Square Super Market; All in One Shop; and premises belonging to Imo State Broadcasting Corporation now hosting Rochas Foundation College owned by Senator Okorocha.
    “Other properties are: East High Academy and East High College, owned by Okorocha’s daughter, Uloma Okorocha-Nwosu; Royal Spring Palm Hotel and Apartment, a 16 block cum 96 flats and eight bungalow multi-million Naira estate traced to Okorocha’s wife.
    The EFCC explained that it gave occupants of the properties adequate notice before moving in.
    The statement added: “The commission at no time “raided” nor “harassed” anyone in the course of marking the properties as its operatives, in line with international best practices, informed the occupants of the facilities in good time, before taking the action.
    “It is also pertinent to state that the commission has pictorial and video evidences which put a lie to the claim that Rochas Foundation College was allegedly raided by the EFCC while in session.
    “This could not be so because the school was not in session and could not have had its students harassed as was fed some online media.
    “The commission would ordinarily not bother with any allegation coming from the camp of Senator Okorocha, having noted his penchant for frivolities and propaganda; but this rebuttal has become pertinent in other to clear doubts especially in these days of fake news.
    “We urge all well-meaning Nigerians to disregard the antics of some unscrupulous politicians and fraudsters who seek to distract the Commission from holding them accountable for their nefarious activities.”

  • Ihedioha to Okorocha: I have no hand in your EFCC ordeals

    Imo State governor, Emeka Ihedioha, has distanced himself from the sealing of property belonging to his predecessor, Rochas Okorocha and his family members by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
    He said that his administration has no hand in the investigation of the former governor by the anti-graft agency.
    The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Chibuike Onyeukwu, in a statement made available to journalists, said, “our attention has been drawn to the press release by former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, on the sealing by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), of various properties belonging to his family, which, according to him, include; Rochas Foundation College and the East High College and Academy, both in Owerri, among other investments.
    “In the said release, the former governor had accused His Excellency, Governor Emeka Ihedioha CON, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of conniving with the Commission to witch-hunt him and his family”.
    It continued that, “ordinarily we would not have dignified such a statement with a response, but to guard against his recourse to deliberate lies and misrepresentation of facts, we are obliged to make this rejoinder to dissociate His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha CON and his government of any complicity in the operations of the anti-graft agency.
    “For emphasis, this administration is founded on the respect for rule of law and due process and therefore would not stealthily petition or engage in a clandestine war against ex governor and family. It would be recalled that Governor Ihedioha has since set up committees that are looking into the various actions undertaken by the past.
    “It is also necessary to remind that the EFCC had, before the inauguration of this administration, begun a probe of the former governor over issues of misappropriation of the state’s funds, including; Bailout funds, Paris Club Refund, Local Government Fund and other financial crimes. It is also on record that the Commission had made public the freezing of a bank account, with a balance of over N5 billion, operated by the past administration as a result of fraudulent activities. Could Governor Ihedioha have influenced this action?
    “We wish to advise ex-governor Okorocha and members of his family, that rather than engage in attempts to divert attention from this probe by EFCC, to dutifully assist the Commission in their investigations, with a view to clearing themselves of the weighty allegations of malfeasance and misappropriations levelled against them by the anti-graft agency and leave the state government out of their travails”.

  • EFCC didn’t investigate before sealing off our colleges —Okorocha

    EFCC didn’t investigate before sealing off our colleges —Okorocha

    The immediate past governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, has said that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission did not investigate the group of colleges owned him and his family before some of them were sealed off on Tuesday.
    He said the anti-graft agency did not interact with the colleges’ owners, as would be expected, before taking action against them.
    He, therefore, appealed to the EFCC to unseal the Rochas Foundation Colleges and other ventures belonging to him.
    The Rochas Foundation College and other Imo-based assets of the ex-governor were recently sealed off by the anti-graft agency.
    He argued that the pupils of the colleges, most of whom are orphans, should not be allowed to suffer.
    It was gathered that EFCC agents from the Enugu office, on Tuesday at about 6am, stormed the Rochas Foundation College, Owerri, in Hilux vans loaded with armed military and mobile policemen.
    The school reportedly has more than 3,000 students, mostly orphans.
    The EFCC also sealed off the East High College and Academy, Owerri, whose proprietor is Okorocha’s daughter, Mrs. Uloma Rochas-Nwosu; among other investments belonging to the former governor and family which the Commission sealed off.
    Reacting to the EFCC action, the former governor in a statement through his media aide, Sam Onwuemeodo, dismissed the action as “a sympathetic scenario,” stressing that the Peoples Democratic Party government in the state and all its chieftains who felt “politically displaced from 2011 to 2019” by him had come together “to launch war” against him and his family and APC members.
    “And that was why they needed INEC to declare their candidate winner, even when he didn’t meet the requirement.
    “Unfortunately, they have instigated certain agencies like EFCC into taking some hasty actions following floods of petitions by them.”
    The former governor, who faulted the EFCC approach, argued that, contrary to expectations, there was no prior invitation to the managements or proprietors of the affected colleges and other establishments.
    “To the best of our knowledge, too, these colleges have not been under the investigation of the Commission.
    “We have had the feeling that the sealing off of the colleges or any other structure as the case maybe, would have been based on the outcome of their investigation in which the managements or the proprietors would have also been interrogated,” he added.
    Onwuemeodo further stated that sealing off of the colleges and other properties owned by the Rochas Okorocha family before investigation was difficult to comprehend, noting that most of them had preceded the governorship of Rochas Okorocha.