OKOROCHA REPLIES IHEDIOHA ON CORRUPTION SURVEY REPORT BY THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS (NBS) FROM 2016 – 2019
PRESS RELEASE
RE: CORRUPTION SURVEY REPORT BY THE NATIONAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS (NBS) FROM 2016 – 2019, WITH IMO MENTIONED AS THE LEAST CORRUPT IN THE COUNTRY
-THE GOVT. IN IMO WITH CHIEF EMEKA IHEDIOHA AS GOVERNOR SHOULD PLEASE, STOP MAKING EMBARRASSING CLAIMS.
-THEY SHOULD ALLOW SENATOR ROCHAS OKOROCHA ENJOY THE FRUIT OF HIS PRUDENCE AS IMO GOVERNOR FROM MAY 2011 – MAY 2019.
On Friday, December 6, 2019, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released what it termed, the “2nd Corruption Survey Report in Nigeria”. And in the report, Imo state was named the least corrupt within the period under survey.
Presenting the report of the Survey in Abuja, the Statistician General, NBS, Dr. Yemi Kale stated that, the latest report (2019) was after a three-year gap, from 2016 to 2019. The report also gave state-by-state record of Corruption and Imo was named the least corrupt State in Nigeria with 17.6 percent prevalence, followed closely by Jigawa, Kano and Plateau. In other words, the Statistician General, Dr. Kale made it abundantly clear that the Survey was for a period of three years, from 2016 to 2019. There was nothing ambiguous about the period of the survey.
Unfortunately, the PDP government in Imo with Chief Emeka Ihedioha as governor that came in on May 29, 2019 has been sponsoring false stories on the NBS’ Survey all in an effort to take the credit of the report in question. From May 2019 when Chief Ihedioha became governor to December 2019, is eight months and not three years, the Survey covered. So, they have no valid claim to make over the report.
The credit of the report is undoubtedly and undisputably for Senator Rochas Okorocha. It is Owelle’s trophy. He was the governor of Imo State within the period in question. The report just authenticated his prudence while he held sway as the governor of the State.
With Okorocha’s achievements in Imo as governor, it was obvious that he had governed the State with high level of commitment and high sense of prudence. And Imo people know this fact, except the elite.
So, Governor Ihedioha and his administration should not reap where they never sowed. Rather, they should congratulate Senator Okorocha for being a quintessential manager of personnel and resources. Before Okorocha, those who governed the State were always saying that there was no money in the State. But Okorocha produced a new song of prosperity for Imo and her people, by always saying that Imo had too much money.
If the outcome of the corruption report had been in the opposite the government in the State would have dropped the whole package on Okorocha’s door. They would have remembered that Ihedioha is just 8months on seat as governor. But now, Ihedioha is no more 8months only in the saddle as governor. They claim assets but shy away from liabilities.
Governor Ihedioha should work hard to carve a niche for himself, instead trying to always cleverly claim Okorocha’s credits. All in all, while we give the glory of the NBS’ Survey on Corruption that declared Imo the least corrupt State in the Country between 2016 and 2019 to God, the commendations should go to Senator Okorocha and no other person.
Sam Onwuemeodo
Special Adviser (media) to the former governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha