Former Governor Ikedi Ohakim on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, thanked Governor Rochas Okorocha “for heeding his wise counsel by paying the Judges in Imo State six months salary arrears out of the 16 months he owed them.”
Ohakim had on Saturday, February 3, 2018, during an interaction with media men in Owerri raised the alarm that Governor Okorocha was owing judges in the state 16 months salary arrears.
The Governor has denied owing the Judges and said that it was the NJC that pays the Judges. He said that Ohakim needed to go to the psychiatric hospital.
But in a press release by his Chief Press Secretary, Collins Ughalaa, on Tuesday, the former Governor who is staging a comeback in 2019 said that Governor Okorocha paid the Judges six months salary arrears on Monday.
“Governor Okorocha on Monday, February 12, 2018, hurriedly paid the judges six months out of their 16 months salary arrears,” he said.
He also thanked “the more than 12,000 people who have already signed up for the planned mass protest in Owerri, including so many people from the United States of America (USA) and Britain who planned to come back home to join the mass protest.”
Ohakim added: “We thank God immensely that His Excellency Dr Ikedi Ohakim’s brain is intact, contrary to Governor Okorocha’s insult, and he did not need to be taken to the psychiatric hospital before the Judges were paid six months salary arrears. Dr. Ikedi Ohakim is nevertheless not worried about the insults from Governor Okorocha, some of his appointees and hirelings.
“We equally thank the media which showed massive support and interest in the matter and insisted that the Judges must be paid.
“We thank the Judges too for their patience, decorum and continuing to discharge their duties even when they were owed 16 months salary.
“Our immense gratitude also goes to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for taking the matter to court on behalf of the Judges. We are really proud of the NBA in Imo State for living up to their responsibilities.”
He called on the Governor to ensure that the balance of 10 months is paid, saying that he has put his planned protest on hold.
“We therefore request Governor Okorocha to please do everything humanly possible to pay the balance of 10 months salary arrears as quickly as possible, while we put the protest on hold,” he said.
Ohakim also extended “his heartfelt condolences to the family of a retired Justice who passed on Monday, February 12, 2018. Unfortunately he died without adequate medicare as a result of non-payment of his accumulated pension and gratuity.” He stressed: “Now that Governor Okorocha has started paying the Judges, he should also pay those who have served the state meritoriously their pension and gratuity without further delay.”
He also noted: “Workers deserve their wages. The first line charge of every government is the welfare of the people, and the civil servants and pensioners deserve their pay and must be paid as at when due,” even as he said he is “prepared to offer wise counsel to the Governor on how to get those problems solved in no time.”
Ohakim gave the assurance that he “is not a man that finds pleasure in spreading falsehood,” adding that he says what he is “only sure of and believes so much in the truth.”
He further assured that he “will continue to speak for Imo people and the disadvantaged, no matter the risk involved. And when by the grace of God he returns to office in 2019, he will continue to treat the workers and every other segment of the Imo society very well and ensure that their comfort and welfare remains top on the agenda of his government.”