Imo elders clash over Uzodimma, Okorocha, as Owerri zone leaders ask Uzodimma to recover their ancestral lands

…Don’t resort to self-help, Onwanibe group tells Uzodimma

By Chinonso Alozie

Imo elders from Owerri zone yesterday,  clashed over the ongoing recovery of alleged stolen properties of Imo people from former governor Rochas Okorocha.

While the elders led by Chief Marcus Onwanibe  called on Governor Hope Uzodimma not to resort to self-help in the recovery of the said properties as the matter was still in court, leaders of thought  from Owerri  zone  led by Chief Henry Njoku  and Prince Alex Mbata  called on Uzodimma to recover their ancestral lands hijacked from them.

Speaking, Onwanibe, said: “Our attention has  been drawn to a press statement purported to have emanated from a meeting of a group that tagged itself, Owerri zone leaders of thought few days ago.

“After we had extensively and objectively x-rayed the stand of those who met in the name of ‘Owerri zone leaders of thought and the current situation in the state’, we resolved as follows:

“That, His Excellency, Governor Hope Uzodimma and his government should pursue peace and ensure peace and avoid any action that is capable of disturbing or distorting the peace of the state.

“That the governor should shun any advice to resort to self-help or unconventional methods in resolving the issues   with the former governor of the state, His Excellency, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.

“That, we are aware that matters concerning Senator Okorocha and the reports of the panels vis-à-vis the whitepaper are all pending in various courts of our land. It is therefore very important and advisable to allow the courts to decide on the issues before them. That is the most civilized thing to do. Any other approach is self-help and should not be encouraged.

“That those who think they have any evidence against Okorocha should either apply to the courts to be joined or appear as witnesses to the matters in question instead of advocating and calling for actions that could throw the state into an unimaginable crisis.”

Earlier, stakeholders from Owerri zone had met and issued a communique to newsmen  as signed by  Chief Henry Njoku, Prince Alex Mbata, Imo lawmakers and traditional rulers.

The   communique read: “We hereby wholeheartedly, affirm and endorse the resolutions of Imo stakeholders held on Saturday  27February , 2021.  We  are happy  with the development so far recorded by the administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma who has in  a short time restored the pride of our people by the the recovery of the state  and indigenous lands  illegally hijacked and appropriated by yesterday’s men of power who ruled us wickedly.

“We support every policy of Governor Hope Uzodimma, particularly full implementation of the white paper on lands to recover our common patrimony, more so when the land in our state capital is  acquired by the state  government.

“We urge all Owerri people to support and continue  in  solidarity  with Governor Hope Uzodimma’s  administration,” they said.

Vanguard News Nigeria

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