Senator Rochas Okorocha has cautioned Governor Emeka Ihedioha to take things easy and think deeply before taking action against him.
The former governor of Imo state was speaking in reaction to the take-over of his university, Eastern Palm University, which was converted to an annex of Imo State University.
Igbere TV reports that the former governor in a statement by his media aide, Sam Onwuemeodo, said the committee on the review of newly established tertiary institutions erred by taking over his institution.
Okorocha said the finding of the committee led by its chairman, Prof. Jude Njoku, should have been referred to the state attorney-general.
He said: “We have read in the media the statement credited to Prof. Jude Njoku, chairman, committee on the review of newly established tertiary institutions set up by Governor Emeka Ihedioha stating that, the PDP government in the state has taken over the Eastern Palm University and making it campus of the Imo State University.
“Prof. Njoku was also quoted to have said that all the newly established Universities and other Tertiary Institutions built by the Senator Rochas Okorocha’s administration have been scrapped.
“According to him, Prof. Njoku exceeded the job of the committee by announcing immediate takeover of the Eastern Palm University and scrapping all the tertiary institutions built by Okorocha.
“What was expected of the Committee at the end of its assignment was to submit their findings or reports to the governor, who would then handover the report to the Attorney-General of the State, to look at all the legal ingredients involved in the establishment of the Universities and others, before making any specific pronouncement on them.
“Prof. Njoku’s action only showed the speed and zeal with which the government of the day wants to destroy all the landmark projects of the APC government in the State which Senator Okorocha had headed,” the statement added.
He noted that the institution was public and private partnership venture and that the state government should have examined the legality of its formation before its hasty decision to scrap them.
“Obviously, the governor was looking at the man behind the institutions, Okorocha, instead of looking at their in-built merits both now and in the nearest future. We want to let Governor Ihedioha know that Okorocha had done eight years as governor and cannot be governor again. He should stop acting as if he is in contest with the former governor.
“We are saying this because the zeal with which the governor has been destroying and discrediting all that the former governor laboured to put in place, has become worrisome to all Imo people, and others too. All the facilities Okorocha used to beautify Owerri, the State Capital, have all been removed as if INEC announced him governor for the sake of removing or destroying all that Okorocha built,” the statement further read.
