It’s madness fighting Okorocha over Zuma’s statue – Imo speaker

The speaker of Imo state House of Assembly, Acho Ihim, on Thursday said that it was simply madness for anybody to call for Governor Rochas Okorocha’s head for erecting the statue of the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma in Owerri, the state capital.

Ihim, who briefed newsmen in his official residence in Owerri on the programmes lined up for the forthcoming Commonwealth Parliamentary Association scheduled to hold in Owerri, said that the member states were gathering to find solutions to the problems of poverty and underdevelopment which were bedeviling the African continent.

The lawmaker disclosed that Vice President Yemi Osibanjo will be in the state to flag off the program on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari, revealed that common goals on deepening bilateral relationship between Commonwealth countries will top the agenda of the session.

Ihim, who represents Okigwe State Constituency defended Okorocha over the controversial statue of Zuma in Owerri, saying that it was a product of a bill passed into law by the State Assembly which now empowers the governor to accord recognition to any individual who has distinguished himself in his service to God and humanity across the globe.

“The only way to appreciate anybody who does or did well is to appreciate him when alive or dead. I wonder why nobody raised an eyebrow when a similar honour was accorded to the Ghanaian President, Addo Akufo and Second Republic Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme.

“It would be madness for anybody to say that Okorocha spent that amount for his statue. South Africa Airlines can now come in to lift produce straight for exploit from our Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport and it is as a result of that visit. If we could celebrate Mandela, why not Zuma,” Ihim said.

Ihim also dismissed insinuations in some quarters that the law making house is a rubber stamp of Governor Rochas Okorocha of the state.

He argued that it was grossly misleading for some individuals to misconstrue the cordial working relationship between the Legislature and the Executive in the states as a sign of weakness on the former.

According to him, the prevailing atmosphere of mutual tolerance and understanding between the two arms of government was a product of the impressive performance of the executive.

He however, said that had taken the bull by the horns to move the state forward; just as he maintained that the legislature was not prepared to antagonize the executive just to score cheap popularity.