The outgoing governor of Imo, Rochas Okorocha, has informed Emeka Ihedioha, governor-elect, that he has no constitutional powers to issue directives to financial Institutions in the state until he has been sworn in as governor.
The outgoing governor said this in a statement issued by Sam Onwuemeodo, his chief press secretary.
Okorocha demanded that the governor-elect should wait until May 29, when he has been sworn in as governor, before he starts giving instructions to banks on the state’s financial dealings.
“Emeka Ihedioha, who was declared winner of the governorship election in Imo State by Prof. Francis Ezeonu-led INEC in Owerri, does not have the right or locus yet to harass or give directives to the financial institutions in the state over their dealings with the state government,” he said.
‘The media report quoting Ihedioha as having given such directive is unfortunate and a sign of ugly things to come. Otherwise, Ihedioha should not have been the first of all the governors-elect in the country to issue such directive.”
He said he was not surprised at the “directive because as a PDP man, his interest, first and foremost, will be the treasury of the state, and the policy or the slogan of ‘Share the money’ will soon come back. But he should exercise patience and wait till he is sworn-in.”
“He shouldn’t be in a hurry. 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 the end of its approved life span.
“To begin to harass or give directives to financial institutions in the State is an act of hostility and he 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 he can do is to confront the outgoing government when he takes over on any financial transaction he has reservations at.”
