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| Dr Pacchal Obi |
Principal Secretary to Imo State Governor, Dr Paschal Obi has refuted the rumour making round that the Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC arrested and detained him alongside two other officials of Imo State Government House.
This was in reaction to the rumour making rounds as was published by Sahara Reporters, an Online Media outfit; before being grabbed by other Media Outfits for commercial publications in other to make money from the public.
Speaking from his Office in Government House Owerri, Imo State, Dr Paschal Obi described the rumour as false, fictitious and unfounded. He maintained that he was never arrested because he committed no crime that would warrant such and wondered why politics of calumny would be a common practice encouraged by the Media practitioners.
Dr Paschal narrated that in line with the desire of the Federal Government Policy to ensure judicious utilization of the bailout fund which was made for the payment of Workers Salaries, the EFCC called on States to submit their records for verification, an exercise designed to be carried out on all the States that received the bailout fund from the Federal Government.
Responding to the questions from Journalists who were professional enough to verify information before publishing, the Principal Secretary to Imo State Governor, Dr Paschal noted that in response to telephone invitation, he travelled to EFCC Office in Enugu, (not Abuja) located at Plot 106 Federal Government Collage Road, Independence Layout, Enugu, Nigeria with the Director of Accounts, Government House of the State and other relevant officials on Wednesday, 2nd march 2016.
He went further to state that on getting there; they were cordially received and attended to by the staff of EFCC. The required records were presented after which they left. According to him, there was no issue of disagreement, arrest or detention.
Having done that, they returned to Imo State to participate in the reception of the wives of the Southern Governors. According to the Principal Secretary, he was with the Executive Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha who just returned from Abuja on Official State assignment. While he was giving him situation report on general State Matters, a call came in from one of the Northern State Governors ( name withheld ) drawing his attention to the publication made by Sahara Reporters alleging that EFCC had arrested and detained some Government Officials including the Principal Secretary, Dr Paschal Obi. The Governor asked him the source and he said that it was from Sahara Reporters.
Immediately, the Governor laughed because he understood that it was another Media Attack to hit his Government knowing full well that the source was a known Online Media outfit notorious for blackmail and attacking performance. He told the caller that he was right there with his Principal Secretary who was briefing him on the assignments he gave him. The Governor advised him to disregard such information. He told him that he had already developed thick skin for such attacks.
Dr Paschal Obi went ahead to challenge anybody to come up with the details of such arrest and who bailed him. He decried the attitude of using the Media Platform to misinform the people all in the name of playing politics of calumny.
In a similar development, the Chief of staff, Imo State Government has condemned in its entirety the act of the Media playing into the hands of mischief makers and those who want the state to fail. He called on all Imolites to remain calm that there is no tension in the State. The Chief of Staff maintained in strong terms that the bailout money was judiciously utilised in payment of workers’ salaries transparently.
He advised the general public that the Government of Imo State will never renege in delivering her mandate and election promises to the good people of the State, assuring with emphasis that no amount of blackmail will make the Rescue Government of Imo State to lose focus.
He appealed to opposition and those behind the globally condemned dastardly act to desist from playing politics with the bailout money.
