The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has claimed that Governor Rochas Okorocha sacked his commissioners as well as chairmen of the 27 council areas of Imo State because of the success of the sit-at-home protest that was ordered in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Biafra.
THEWILL recalls that the Imo governor was reported same day that the sit-at-home order held as dissolving the state executive council and 27 local government transition committees.
While no reason was given for their sack, Okorocha was quoted in a statement issued by his Principal Secretary, Pascal Obi, as appreciating the invaluable contributions of the dismissed officials to his administration.
But in a statement issued on Saturday in Awka, the Anambra capital, IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful stated that Okorocha’s action was aimed at pleasing the powers-that-be in Abuja.
Speaking on behalf of the separatist group, Powerful disclosed that Okorocha had instructed his commissioners and council chiefs not to allow the order to take place in the state.
IPOB added that to the surprise of the Imo governor, the exercise recorded huge success in Imo State, such that the governor became angry and ordered the sack of the affected officials.
“IPOB intelligence unit discovered that APC party led by Major General Muhammadu Buhari through her security operatives mandated Rochas Okorocha to do all he could to stop the sit-at-home order issued by our leader Mazi Nnamdi and IPOB family members worldwide but to his greatest surprise he could not stop the sit-at-home and remembrance of our fallen heroes and heroines.
“In line with this, Okorocha mandated his commissioners and his LGA’s transitional chairmen in all the 27 Local Government Areas of Imo State to move into the villages and communities to sensitized them to boycott the sit-at- home order at all cost, unfortunately, those mandated to do so could not do it because power belongs to the masses not those in Government.
“The Governor of Imo State Chief Owelle Rochas Okorocha dissolved the commissioners and the leadership of all the LGA’s transitional chairmen in 27 Local Government Areas of Imo State because of their inability to do the job he paid for to discourage our people not to comply of the sit at home order issued by our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on 30th of May 2017 in honour and remembrance of our fallen heroes and heroines who paid the ultimate price during the genocidal war against our people in 1967 and 1970.
“The tremendous total compliance in Imo State particularly in Owerri and other parts of Biafraland marvelled the Governor of Imo State Chief Owelle Rochas Okorocha and other APC members in Biafraland both South East and South South.
“It is very pathetic that the governor of Imo State Chief Rochas Okorocha will be belittled himself to this level by going uncontrollably from house to house and one market to another calling people to come out and open their shops on that fateful day Biafrans were celebrating and honouring those who paid the ultimate price during the great war in the history against the people of Biafra between 1967 and 1970,” IPOB said.