It became official in the early hours of this morning as Emeka Ihedioha can now be fully addressed as the the Governor of Imo state, ending the eight year reign of Rochas Owelle Okorocha as the chief executive of the state.

Okorocha vacated the Imo State Government House yesterday but had a press conference before leaving, during the address, the former governor was quoted saying, “As I walk out of this government house, let nobody fight me and I will not fight anybody. Governor is a shield that covers every personality that is in office. When you remove the shield of the governor off my face, you will see the real Rochas. The real Rochas is still as big, if not bigger than the Rochas who was governor.’

“Our governor”, Rochas Okorocha is begging EFCC, APC and Imolites not to fight him as he lives office, because he will not fight anybody ??? #Theinauguration pic.twitter.com/lUrJywTkq5

— Mike Ikenwa (@MikeGNR) May 29, 2019

This warning issued by the former governor could be said to be a double-edged sword with varieties of meaning considering that he is currently hosting a fight between himself and the INEC over the electoral body’s refusal to issue him a certificate of return as the Senator Elect of Imo West Senatorial District in the just concluded 2019 general election.

Okorocha since he came into limelight has been known as one who does not shy away from a fight judging from the feud between him and the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, and the party chieftains within Imo state, over the 2019 general elections in the state, which eventually led to his suspension from the party.

Following the declaration of Ihedioha as the governor-elect of the state, he and Okorocha has been engaged in a renewed spate as the new governor has released various statements and directives that undermined the authority of the former governor while he was still the chief executive of the state and the salvo exchanged between the two may just be starting, if Ihedioha decides to probe Okorocha’s administration or preferably his last months as the governor in the state.

Okorocha in his usual characteristic manner has usually replied Ihedioha’s statements and directives but with his new declaration, we are looking to see if the former governor will reply any attacks to his name and eight years administration of the state.

Mr. Statue-Builder, as Okorocha is fondly called in the state, may usually have to come to defend his many statues built to honour past and present African leaders like Jacob Zuma, Ellen Sirleaf Johnson, Nelson Madela, Muhammadau Buhari, because his statue legacy will always come under attack and probe now that the immunity clause has been lifted from his head and personality.

Also, the former governor’s activities in the state for the past few months ranging from his impromptu appointments, recruitments and the creation of four new tertiary institutions in Imo which the National Universities Commission (NUC) has already given its approval for its establishment, will come under serious scrutiny and may be reversed, now we just have to observe, whether Okorocha will consider the reversal as a fight that needs his engagement and reply.

In one of his many addresses, Okorocha claimed that his administration will be handing over N42.5 billion to the incoming administration of Ihedioha for the renovation of schools, payment of salaries, pension arrears and capital projects as well as construction of some rural roads but it looks like this may not be the case.

The former governor has just been called out that he is leaving the state in a turmoil of debt as the value of the uncompleted projects left by his administration is over N200 billion while the state’s debt profile under Okorocha’s watch has skyrocketed to over N98 billion as at December 2018.

We are awaiting for Okorocha’s reaction on these news allegations which is just making rounds few hours after Ihedioha was sworn in as governor of Imo, is this one of the fight that the former governor is anticipating to show the real Rocha that is as bigger than when he was governor?

Hit the comment section and let us know, if you are also anticipating!