Rumours that former Imo Governor Senator Rochas Okorocha is dead has been dismissed by his aide, Mr. Ebere Nzeworji.

Nzeworji said Okorocha is alive and well, putting the false social media claims to rest.

According to Nzeworji, Okorocha was attending to his normal duties at his Unity House Garki Abuja office when the fake news started circulating.

He clarified that the former Governor had just returned from Owerri, Imo State where he attended the funeral ceremony of elder statesman Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and hosted Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu and other Reps members.

Nzeworji urged the public to disregard the “wicked lies from mischief makers” and confirmed that Okorocha is continuing his humanitarian work and private business duties without interruption.

Nzeworji reassured the public that the former Governor is “hale and hearty.”

The false report, which first emerged on Wednesday evening, November 6, alleged that Okorocha had died in a London hospital.

He said:  “Okorocha had attended the funeral of the late elder statesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, on Friday, November 1, and subsequently hosted the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, along with other lawmakers, at his residence in Owerri.

“These activities demonstrate that Okorocha was in good health and actively engaged in public affairs.”

Nzeworji questioned the motives behind the spread of such baseless rumors, noting that “one can now begin to wonder about the intentions of those behind this fake news.”

He emphasised that Okorocha, who has served Nigeria at the state and national levels, is well-known for his positive contributions and commitment to the well-being of others.

The aide also reminded the public that Okorocha has always been a “cheerful and caring” individual who holds no ill will towards anyone.

He urged Imo people, Nigerians and the global communities to disregard the false report and reassured them that Okorocha is alive and in good health.

Gov. Alex Otti, has renamed the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, after the first  governor of the state, late Dr Ogbonnaya Onu.

Otti made the announcement on  Thursday, during a  Commendation Service held in honour of the deceased at the International Conference Center, Umuahia.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Onu, who passed away in April at the age of 72, also served as the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation.

The governor  said that late Onu made significant contributions to the development of the state and nation at large.

“We as a state have decided to immortalize him by renaming the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba after him.

“The Polytechnic will henceforth be known as Dr Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba,”he said.

The governor added that the deceased made significant contributions to Abia’s development.

This, he said was especially with the founding of the Abia State Polytechnic, the Abia State College of Education (Technical), and supporting the establishment of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture (MOUAU).

“The simultaneous establishment of these institutions in the three senatorial districts of the state speaks to Dr Onu’s distinction as a strategic leader.

“He was a leader that understood the connection between institutions of learning and the development of the critical manpower necessary for holistic and widespread economic growth,” he said.

Otti recalled that late Onu’s act of patriotism in 1999 when he sacrificed his presidential bid for national unity, adding that the deceased  showed great commitment to Nigeria’s future.

“He loved the country and its democratic future more than his desire to occupy the exalted seat of the presidency.

“Dr Onu was by every measure, qualified to serve this country as its president at the dawn of the Fourth Republic and had a good run at it.

“He only had to let go of his ambition when circumstances contrived against it but he still found other veritable ways of serving the country he loved so dearly.

“He was an important voice for democracy, a true nationalist and patriot who saw beyond the narrow prism of ethnicity and religion.

“He saw every Nigerian as a citizen who has the right to pursue their economic and social aspirations from any part of the country, unrestricted by individual or institutional biases,”Otti said.

He said Onu’s demise had created a social and political void that would be very difficult to fill.

Otti  prayed God to grant the family of the deceased and the people of Ebonyi State the fortitude to bear the loss and urged them to emulate his life of service and integrity.

In a homily, the Bishop of Umuahia Catholic Diocese, His Lordship Michael Ukpong, emphasised the need for all to live responsibly.

Ukpong said that the former governor positively impacted lives and left indelible marks in Abia.

He said the deceased would be remembered for many reasons including contributions such as attracting the rebuilding of the Abia Tower of Peace, establishment of Broadcasting Corporation of Abia, National Ambassador among others.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event attracted dignitaries including chairman, National burial planning committee, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim among others.

(NAN)

The Network of Edo Lawyers has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Police to freeze the bank accounts of the Edo State Government ahead of the November 12 inauguration Governor-Elect Senator Monday Okpebholo.

The lawyers also frowned at the swearing in of a new Accountant General by the outgoing Governor Godwin Obaseki, alleging that the action was a plot to enable the administration withdraw more money from the banks.

The EFCC picked Edo Accountant General and two other officials last week following questionable last-minute withdrawals from the state accounts, a development which made the Governor to swear in a replacement on Thursday.

In a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the group of lawyers, called on the anti-graft agency and the Nigeria Police Force to freeze all Edo State Government accounts as “Governor Obaseki has gone berserk, pulling out all revenues that belong to the State, six days to leaving office.”

The statement by leader of the network, Barrister Julius Ilenkhe claimed: “These monies belong to Edo state and not Obaseki. He tried to use supplementary budget, which the Speaker of Edo state turned down”.

“Now he wants to clear the state accounts in all the banks by appointing a new Accountant General, since the former Accountant General is cooling off with EFCC over suspicious withdrawal of over N14 billion last week.

“The race to protect Edo state must be collective as one man cannot destroy the state because of his high appetite.

“It is important that all security agencies and the good people of the state and Nigeria join hands together to prevent this arbitrary looting of public funds.

“Obaseki is not spending money on any transition process. So what does he need these billions of Naira?”