‘It’s All Politically Motivated’ – Okorocha Reacts To Corruption Claims

Former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha has dismissed the latest corruption charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

On Monday, the anti-graft agency filed a 17-count charge before a Federal High Court in Abuja against the lawmaker representing Imo West Senatorial District in the National Assembly.

The EFCC claimed that the former governor conspired with others, including a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and five companies, to steal N2.9 billion public funds.

This development comes after Okorocha officially announced his intention to run for President in the 2023 general elections.

In an interview on Channels Television on Monday night, Okorocha said the new corruption charges are politically motivated, adding that the EFCC has always been in the habit of levelling frivolous allegations against him.

The Senator stated that he has never enriched himself with any property of the Imo state government and had always been a successful businessman before his emergence as governor.

He added that the Imo state government is owning him N8bn security votes, stressing that he should be the one laying claims to the benefits from the state governor.

Okorocha argued that the anti-graft agency has continued to disobey court orders relating to the alleged abuse of his fundamental human rights.

He, however, advised the EFCC not to allow itself to be a tool for politicians but investigate allegations and get real facts before taking necessary actions.

He said: “The story of Rochas and EFCC, the story of Rochas and politics of Imo State has been a long dragged one,” he said. ‘I am not aware of this suit, but what I do know is that the stage I found myself with EFCC, I had an order against EFCC from Federal High Court on the abuse of my human rights, but the EFCC has refused to obey that order.

“It’s been one drama or the other but what is happening actually is that I don’t want to say it is politically motivated, but it is looking more like it.

“Go to Code of Conduct Bureau and see my worth before becoming governor and since I finished, there has never been any property of the government, any cash of government found in my coffers or (that of) any of my family members. There is not anything that I have that has been traced to Imo State government’s money while I was in office.”