Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, Monday, said he has no problem with the Archbishop of the Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, Most Revd. Anthony Obinna.
Recall that the Imo Catholic- owned newspaper, the Leader, had published a story quoting the governor as saying he has a score to settle with cleric.
But the governor warned those responsible for the report to stop creating such impressions.
A section of politicians in the state had condemned the governor over alleged molestation of the Archbishop by supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, Archbishop Obinna had absolved the governor and his party of the allegation.
Chief Press Secretary to the Okorocha, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo in a statement said “the Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha or the Rescue Mission administration he pilots has no score to settle with Archbishop Anthony Obinna and people should please stop creating such impression.”
It added: “In 2011 and 2015 respectively, Governor Okorocha and his Party APC won overwhelmingly in Owerri Municipal where most members of Owerri Catholic Diocese reside. And more than 95 percent of members of the Diocese including the Archbishop’s senior brother and a frontline politician in the state, Sir Paddy Obinna have remained as we write, strong supporters of the governor and the Rescue Mission administration.
“And in 2019, no doubt, the members of the Diocese will also vote for the governor’s choice for the governorship because they know the truth of this whole story. They know that the governor has never in any way offended the Archbishop or the Diocese.
“They know that Governor Okorocha’s achievements in seven years have exceeded all that his predecessors since the creation of the state in 1976 put together had achieved. And they equally know that the governor has invested in the Diocese more than any of those before him as governor, whether military or civilian, had done.
“Even the reported incident at a funeral service at Ngor-Okpala, most members of the Diocese were there and know the truth, beyond the propaganda of frustrated opposition in the state. And luckily too, the Archbishop himself had told the world that he was neither attacked nor manhandled by anybody.
“The only issue is that the Archbishop does not seem to like APC as a party and he does not hide it. He does not hide his affiliation to APGA. So he finds it extremely difficult to be on the same page with President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Rochas Okorocha, who are products of APC. That is all.
“We also want to use this opportunity to appeal to the leader of the newspaper owned by the Diocese to stop damaging the reputation of the Archbishop by publishing falsehood and blackmails as if it is an opposition medium.”
