Imo state government has dismissed attacks by some ‘uninformed and misguided’ elements over what it termed the lawful action of Owerri Capital Development Authority (OCDA), against Uche Onyeagucha’s lawlessness.
It described the attacks as uninformed, unwarranted and seditious.
The government was reacting to a statement credited to an ‘unknown and unregistered’ group, brandishing the name of Owerri League of Patriots, which purportedly made false allegations against the government on the sealing of Onyeagucha’s family house under reconstruction.
The government also warned the group to be mindful of its unbridled support for Onyeagucha’s illegal action, “because those who support illegality are guilty of promoting lawlessness”
A statement in Owerri on Sunday by the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon Declan Emelumba said: “For the purposes of clarification, Chief Uche Onyeagucha embarked on expansion of an old building which required him to obtain a written permission from OCDA.
“Typical of him, he not only refused to apply for the permission but went ahead, in his illegal expansion project, to block drainages, thus inflicting untold hardship on residents of the street. The OCDA had to do the needful by sealing the compound.”
The commissioner further noted: “Onyeagucha”s action is a clear manifestation of his disrespect for constituted authority carried too far. Those supporting his reckless and illegal affront on the government should take note that they are guilty of promoting lawlessness”.
The statement made it clear that since Onyeagucha is not above the law, all relevant processes pertaining to erecting a new building or reconstruction of old buildings must be followed strictly, adding that failure to do so would attract necessary sanctions.
The commissioner said that it was a shame that a group claiming to be made up of patriots could lend itself to cheap manipulation for propaganda and display of crass ignorance of extant laws of the state.
He added: “No amount of blackmail, lies, propaganda or even display of outright disrespect to constituted authority will dissuade government from applying the rules to the letter”
Recall that the Owerri League of Patriots had flayed the sealing of the campaign office of Onyeagucha by agents of the state government.
The league warned against what it called ‘importing insecurity to Owerri zone and vowed to resist any attempt by Gov Uzodimma to sponsor insecurity in Owerri.
