The Undercurrents In Okorocha, Onwuliri Feud

UNTIL recently, when President Goodluck Jonathan redeployed Prof Viola Onwuliri from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Education as Minister of State, certain issues were left lying low and Imo people did not know much about the number of federal projects in the state.

  Onwuliri, from Umuzi in Ahiazu Mbaise council, has consistently disclosed in various fora that the twin-storey building in each of the 305 electoral wards in the 27 councils, which many believed were executed entirely by the administration of Governor Rochas Okorocha were actually executed by the federal government  

  She revealed that many projects had been executed in Imo, contrary to Okorocha’s accusations that Jonathan did not execute any single project in the state.

  Onwuliri disclosed that billions of naira worth of projects had been executed in various schools, including those jointly funded by the state and federal government at the cost of over N40 million to the federal government, through its Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), while the state government provided the counterpart funds.

  But the Chairman of the Imo State Universal Basic Commission (IMSUBEB), Mrs. Gertrude Oduka, faulted the claim recently in Owerri while briefing some journalists.   

  Okorocha had earlier disputed the minister’s claims.

  But Onwuliri has continued to told Okorocha and his aides to forget about politics and access the records in Abuja to ascertain the true facts of these federal projects in the state.

  The minister also disclosed that the federal government has so far expended about N5 billion on the 100,000 metric tonnes silos project in Ezinachi in Okigwe, which has reached 90 per cent completion.

  She stated that the state-owned university in Owerri has received about N6 billion from the federal government, adding that the Faculty of Law she recently commissioned was built by the federal government, while many Tertiary Education Fund (TETFUND), an agency of the federal government, constructed more buildings at the university, Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO) and Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education (AIFCE).

  The minster also explained that the state polytechnic at Umuagwo, Ohaji had accessed federal funds to build an ultra-modern e-Library, among other developmental projects in the road and health sectors.

  Onwuliri noted that federal projects became a bone of contention and has sparked disaffection between the All Progressives Congress (APC) government in the state and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led federal government, leading to the minister being regarded as a thorn in the flesh of the state government.   

  Onwuliri has, however, remained unrelenting in debunking claims that Jonathan has not sited any project in the state.

  The political tension in the state heightened as the two parties employed various means to win sympathy and popularity of the Imo electorate.

  But the bad blood between the state government and Onwuliri boiled over recently when suspected thugs attacked widows that assembled near the Government House in Owerri, apparently to protest alleged spate of killings in the state and the humiliation meted on Onwuliri by Okorocha and some of the government agents.

  The widows, under the aegis of Imo Widows Association (IWA), led by Mrs. Elizabeth Odoemena, with affiliated groups, such as Widows in Christ, Royal Women Widows and Jesus Triumphant Widows were said to have been dealt with by suspected agents of the state government, allegedly supervised by some its officials, leaving some of them with injuries. 

  The Guardian gathered that the women did not carry any mock coffin, as alleged, but only assembled at the popular Old Garden Park Business Centre arena, near the Okigwe Road Roundabout when the hoodlums alighted from various vehicles with dangerous weapons and pounced on them. 

  Some of the women were allegedly abducted and taken away, but later released. 

  A cameraman attached to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Mr. Etuk Eric, was stabbed.

  The intensity of the crisis led to the intervention of soldiers at the entrance of the Government House gate, causing further panic and apprehension, especially among state government officials and agents.

   The state government swiftly issued a statement accusing Onwuliri of recruiting some persons from the neighbouring Abia State to cause mayhem.

  Another statement made available to The Guardian by Okorocha’s Senior Special Assistant (Media), Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, reiterated a petition to the Presidency by the Attorney General and commissioner for Justice over the alleged drafting of soldiers to the area.

  Monarchs allegedly loyal to the state government accused the women of bringing coffin to desecrate the seat of government, with Chairman of Traditional Rulers Council, Owerri zone, Eze Chidube Okoro, inviting other monarchs for cleansing and praying for the state. 

 However, it was gathered that out of about 1000   traditional rulers in the State only 27 of them, mainly from Okorocha’s Orlu zone attended the cleansing exercise.

  But while they were engaging in the exercise at Government House, their Mbaise counterparts were showering special blessing for Onwuliri, with Obi of Obinugwu in Orlu, Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, who was recently declared Chairman of the state Council of Traditional Rulers warning monarchs in the state against attending  such a ceremony  such without his blessing.

 Also,  speaking on behalf of the Mbaise monarchs, Eze Desmond Oguguo warned against dragging their daughter in the mud, stressing that as a Noble Lady of the Knights of St. John International, she was respected and excelled in her vocation.

  A former Minister of Transport and Aviation, Dr. Kema Chikwe, also condemned the act.

  Irked by the infringement of their fundamental rights to association, the widows petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, asking that their attackers be fished out and prosecuted.

  Speaking further on the assault of the widows, Special Assistant to the minster on Media, Peter Osamgbi, said: “It is a violent violation of their fundamental rights of freedom to gather and protest peacefully.

  “Rather than eat the humble pie and apologise, Okorocha is carrying on with hubris.”

  But the governor, at different for a, has denied the claims, wondering why soldiers were deployed to the Government House gate.

  Onwuliri, on her part, said she was not in any way instigating the widows, noting that the protesting women were venting their grievances and wondered why political space had degenerated to the extent of people beating up hapless widows.

  She also explained that the soldiers intervened to restore order and not on her invitation.