Controversial Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has fired back at Senator Victor Umeh who recently attacked him in the media.
Umeh, a former Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), was sworn in as the senator representing Anambra Central senatorial district in the National Assembly in January 2018.
He defeated Sen. Uche Ekwunife, the previous occupant of the post that was sacked by the Court of Appeal.
But Okorocha said that instead of concentrating on getting his bearings in the upper chamber, Umeh was trying to get cheap popularity by attacking him.
Speaking in a Tuesday statement through his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, the governor said that he would not be moved by attacks such as that from Umeh, saying “only God can impeach him”.
Okorocha said, “Umeh has not been able to find his feet in the Senate since he was elected into that upper Chamber of the National Assembly. He has been staggering, thinking about which leg to put forward first.
“And for this reason, he has not been getting the kind of media attention he was enjoying free of any charge when he held sway as the National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA).”
He added, “Having been starved of media Publicity as a result of his abysmal outing in the Senate, he felt that the only way he could get the needed attention from the media was by attacking Governor Rochas Okorocha and unwarranted, leveraging on the impeachment moves against the Deputy Governor of the State, Prince Eze Madumere by the State House of Assembly.
“In his recent attack against the Imo governor, he concluded by alluding that “God would impeach Governor Okorocha”. And you begin to wonder where Chief Umeh was coming from especially when one remembers that he has never been heard on the floor of the Senate even for a day, either for his Constituents or for Anambra people or for Nigerian people.
“Chief Umeh has turned himself into an interesting Spectator in a Senate he should be a key player or participant. And he has come to realize that being a Party Chairman is a different ball game when compared with being a Senator.
“As a Party Chairman like that of APGA, he was getting media patronage for certain reasons or on certain issues, but in the Senate, one must be eloquent and articulate on issues to be heard. You need some qualities to prepare motions or bills or Contribute meaningfully to debates, unlike his kind of Party Chairmanship.
“Chief Umeh should justify his trip to the Senate. Attacking Rochas Okorocha won’t be an acceptable justification for his inaction. His zone is being ravaged by erosion. He can begin with a motion on that. And nothing stops him from engaging a Consultant since one does not give what he does not have”