Pix: Ohakim conducting newsmen round his burnt residence on Thursday
…By Emma Okereke,
Owerri…
The peace in Imo State was yesterday ruffled by the ugly news that the residential building of the former Governor of the State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, situated at Prefab Aladinma Owerri has been set ablaze by unknown elements.
The incident which destroyed all the properties in the house came on the heels of the declaration of the former Governor Wednesday, to run for the 2015 Governorship Election.
Reacting to the incident the Imo State Government condemned the act in its entirety, saying “it is an act of cowardice. It is barbaric and unfortunate, in all ramifications”.
Statement from the Senior Special Assistant to the Gogernor on Media Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo said “The government of the day with Owelle Rochas Okorocha has been preaching tolerance and politics without bitterness among Imo politicians, and the governor has also been demonstrating that both in words and in action since he came on board in 2011”.
According to him “this is why politicians in the state irrespective of their political parties have been coming to the state to say whatever they like or do whatever they want to do, without any interference or disturbance. Journalists in the state have also been writing whatever they want to write without anybody disturbing them”.
He described the dastardly act of the burning of the former Governor’s house for any reason as condemnable and unacceptable arguing that the former governor had not done anything to constitute a threat to anybody since he left office, to warrant anybody or group of persons burning his house.
He further said that Chief Ohakim has the right as an illustrious son of Imo state to vie for any position he desires to run for. Anybody who feels threatened by his interest should have the option of quitting the race or dropping his aspiration. He called on the Commissioner of Police in the state and other relevant security agents in the state to dig into the ugly incident with the aim of bringing those behind the wicked and ungodly act to book.
Efforts to get the former Governor to comment on the incident proved abortive before press time. Meanwhile the police at the gate cordoned off the building from press men.