Imo State: Governor Attacks Bishop for Being Partisan

Imo State: Governor Attacks Bishop for Being Partisan

Anne Bassey

October 30, 2018

Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has criticized the Catholic Archbishop of Owerri Diocese, Most Reverend Anthony Obinna on Monday for being politically biased.

Okorocha made the criticism against the bishop for supporting former Governor of the state, Achike Udenwa; his kinsman, Ezekiel Izuogu; and a former chairman of the state council of traditional rulers, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya in their hatred for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari.

The governor said that the Owerri Catholic Archbishop has never hidden his empathy for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) which was made public in 2015.

Punch reports that in a statement issued by the Imo state Government, through his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, he recounted that in 2015, the cleric openly threw his full weight behind the APGA governorship candidate, Captain Emma Iheanacho, and the then presidential candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

“In 2015, Governor Rochas Okorocha took President Muhammadu Buhari to Archbishop Obinna when he came on a campaign. They met privately for hours but two days after, his newspaper (The Leader) came up with the caption. ‘The Alhaji in Government House’ and told the false story of how Okorocha was taking Igbo youths to the north to be Islamised. The medium up till today has never seen any reason to give the APC and President Buhari a chance.”

The press secretary had dismissed the administration of former governor Achike Udenwa, adding that it was a set back to the state.

He alleged that Dr. Izuogu had made fruitless efforts to govern the state, attributing this to his lack of sincerity of purpose and justifying the dethronement of Ilomuanya as both the traditional ruler and chairman state council of traditional rulers.

“So they are working together now in support of Hope Uzodinma, whose claim of being a member of the APC is not up to six months. And the PDP chieftains like Udenwa also supporting the senator. These people cannot love APC or President Buhari.”

Picture Source: Orsu 24News, Yans.ng