Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, yesterday, said he had no personal quarrel with his predecessor, Senator Rochas Okorocha.
The clash between the supporters of the governor and his predecessor led to the death of two persons on Sunday over the sealing of Royal Spring Palm Estate Hotel, Akachi, by the state government.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state is enmeshed in a crisis following the political differences and feud between Okorocha and Uzodinma.
Speaking after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, the governor faulted the claims that he was plotting Okorocha’s assassination.
“I don’t know about any attempt to assassinate Okorocha, rather what I know, is I have no personal issues with Okorocha.
“You will recall that before I became governor, the Ihedioha administration set up a judicial panel of inquiry to look into acquisitions and allegations of lands, converting government lands to personal property, and then removing private lands from individuals and giving them other individuals.
“The judicial panel of inquiry chaired by a judge met and they concluded their job. And a white paper has since been raised.
“You know institutions and agencies that are involved with implementation are doing their job. And the only thing I know is that a few days ago, the former governor went with his thugs to one of the properties sealed by government. You people saw it, it was live.
“He went there with thugs, wounded the policemen there, wounded the NSCDC officer, who is currently still in the hospital and then broke in and entered.
“Of course, you must have heard him say that he is richer than government and that he is above the law. I am not directly involved. It is a position taken by government.
“There is a difference between governor and government. The government of Imo State sealed the property. And I think that if there is anything anybody considers not right, the person should go to court to redress the issue and not take the law into one’s hand, or take to self-help.
“I remember that under Ihedioha, there was a recovery committee, chaired by one Jasper Ndubaku. When they tried to visit Okorocha’s house, they were beaten to a stupor. And the same man who did that is now doing the same thing and almost killed the man who did it during his time,” Uzodinma said.
Meanwhile, Okorocha has debunked the claims that all the 14 persons arrested in connection with the invasion of Royal Palm Spring Hotel were his aides.
Okorocha, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser (Media), Sam Onwuemeodo, said only two of the defendants were his aides.
He said 11 others were staff of the hotel, while one was a social media influencer, who was there to do his job.
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