Don’t threaten me with Otokoto – Gov
Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha has called the bluff of elders of Owerri Municipal, over his recent relocation of their Eke Ukwu market from Owerri to Egbeada, warning them not to threaten him with a repeat of the infamous Otokoto saga.
The governor gave the warning yesterday in a statement by his spokesman, Sam Onwuemeodo in which he pilloried the elders who were condemning his relocation of the market and dualisation of some major roads in the state.
Onwuemeodo stated that the elders issued a threat that should give sleepless nights to all patriotic citizens of the state, warning them not to confuse the governor’s peaceful disposition for weakness
“The elders issued the kind of threat that should give concern to all patriotic citizens of the state especially when the elders who should preach peace began to talk about the repeat of the Otokoto saga in the state.
“And the elders had only mentioned the government’s ideal plan to relocate Owerri main market to a more convenient place, and the government’s expansion works on some major roads in the state capital, as their reasons for the threat.
“We only expect people to appreciate that development in instead of leveraging on that to show disrespect and lawlessness” Okorocha said.
Okorocha also said that he is yet to be given any reason why the market should not give way to investors that will develop the state, pleading with the elders not to allow themselves to be used by politicians. He insisted that those talking about the repeat of the Otokoto saga of 1996 do not know about it.
“It means that either the person didn’t know what led to that ugly incident or does not wish the state and her people well. No patriotic citizen of the state can be talking about Otokoto saga repeating itself because the government wants to relocate a major market at the centre of the capital city to a more comfortable place or because of the expansion of selected major roads in Owerri” Okorocha said.
– Authority
