The Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha has said at no time was Assumpta Avenue renamed Muhammadu Buhari road.
This is a reaction to reports by the local and social media that the road has been renamed by the Governor.
According to a statement signed by Sam Onwuemedo, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, he said at no time was the road renamed.
He said “The truth is that Muhammadu Buhari Road begins from Government House Roundabout and ends at the popular Orlu Road Roundabout. Maria Assumpta Avenue begins at Control post Roundabout and stops at Warehouse Roundabout. The indications are all there boldly written for all to see” the statement stated.
He fired salvos at the opposition for using the social media to spread falsehood in the State, saying it will waste no further energy doing so in the future.
Read full text of the statement:
“For the umpteenth time, we have subtly told our audience that the opposition to Governor Rochas Okorocha’s administration in Imo only exists on the social media. This is the fact. The social media has become their own tool and they have been doing it unwisely, ungodly and unintelligently.
“The latest of their balderdash was the claim that the government has changed Maria Assumpta Avenue to Muhammadu Buhari road, for which they, as usual, claimed that Owerri was boiling.
And our only concern is that some people who should know better and detach falsehood from the truth at times fail to do this. And that is the reason we are now responding. Otherwise, we cannot be spending our God-given time responding to frivolities.
In their jaundiced trip, they wrote “Owerri Capital of Imo State boils as an unconfirmed report by Steve Nwokocha had it that Maria Assumpta Avenue, Owerri has been renamed to Muhammadu Buhari Road”.
They continued with their gimmicks “In a letter read before Church Leadership members on Sunday, 24 December 2017 disclosed that the governor of Imo State Owelle Rochas Okorocha, (?) Assumpta Cathedral Road Owerri after President Muhammadu Buhari”.
“The purported letter containing these badly written and maggot infested claims was signed by non-existent “Sir Steve Nwokeocha, 1st Trustee KSJI Abuja Grand Purportedly Commandery”.
“In the first paragraph of their thrash, the name was Steve Nwokocha, and while signing their kind of letter, the surname changed to Nwokeocha. And these elements could not tell the readers which “Church Leadership Members” the claimed letter was read to. The whole thing was a scam. And some folks in the Church of Jesus Christ were behind it. It is unfortunate”
“The truth is that Muhammadu Buhari Road begins from Government House Roundabout and ends at the popular Orlu Road Roundabout. Maria Assumpta Avenue begins at Control post Roundabout and stops at Warehouse Roundabout. The indications are all there boldly written for all to see”
“Those behind this ungodly step were playing dirty politics. Hence, they talked about Owerri boiling, because they have seen or heard that most of Imo people who came home for the Christmas were shocked to see the high level of transformation in the State especially in Owerri, so much that most of them confessed that they could not recognize Owerri again. Which is true”
“And for the avoidance of doubt, if the government has got any reason to change the name of any road in Owerri it would go ahead to do so without succumbing to blackmail or intimidation. And also take responsibility. These people should be made to understand this fact”
“It is equally important to once again appeal to this particular elements to always pursue peace and ensure peace as enjoined by God and not to always fan the ember of trouble or crisis”
“During the campaigns for the 2015 election, it was this particular clique that branded Rochas Okorocha Alhaji in Government House and Okoro-Hausa. They also came up with the allegation that the Chapel in Government House was a Mosque”
“The same people equally were behind the falsehood that Rochas, Buhari and APC would Islamize the country if the APC wins 2015 election. And also claimed that the cheques of N50million the government gave to them for the renovation of their Cathedral bounced when they actually cashed the cheques. There was no refuttal from them over the false story of bounced cheques and there was no thank-you letter to that effect”
“They did not also show any sign of gratitude to the government over the N450m given to the mission schools.
In Igboland, there is what we call “Ofo na Ogu”. In other words, for you to pursue someone over an issue you must be on the sides of truth, justice and equity. When you do not meet these natural conditions, you hit the rock. A word should be enough for the wise”
“Governor Okorocha does not believe in division of any kind. And that is the reason he has been monumentally and equitably developing all the parts of the state. Scratching him won’t make any difference. In 2019, God-willing, Imo people will, as usual, decide who will take over from the Ogboko born governor. And there is nothing anybody can do about that”