• Former commissioner says no one can afford me, challenges accusers

Former Imo State Commissioner, Dr. Fabian Ihekweme is accused of being sponsored by a businessman and serial governorship aspirant in the state to tarnish the image of Governor Hope Uzodimma ahead of the 2027 elections in Imo.

The Executive Director of Imo Democratic Alliance for Transparency (IDAT), Marvis Udechukwu, dropped the bombshell at a press conference in Abuja.

He said the unnamed politician met Ihekweme in Abuja last week, where he said he was given N50 million “for a satisfactory job so far”, while the balance of the same amount would be paid shortly, making it N100 million. It is claimed to be dirty work.

In a telephone conversation with The Guardian yesterday, the former commissioner said the claim was ridiculous and boasted that no one could buy it.
He said: “No one can buy me because I have already been bought by the people of Imo. I work for my people and no amount of blackmail can deter me.”

Ihekweme also encouraged his accusers to reveal the identity of the “serial gubernatorial candidate” so the world would know him.

“We have moved beyond this kind of cheap propaganda. It no longer holds water. The people of Imo are begging for answers to the numerous allegations against the state government and the governor. We cannot move away from the main issues.

“But since they know the serial gubernatorial candidate who pays me, what’s stopping them from mentioning his name,” he added.
Udechukwu said the investigation conducted by his group revealed that “Ihekweme is nothing but a cheap mercenary whose sponsors have been exposed.”

He explained that due to the seriousness of the allegations made by Ihekweme against Uzodimma, the group plans to take legal action against him. “Although much of what he wrote against Uzodimma amounts to criminal libel, we plan to file a lawsuit in court to have him prove the allegations, as it is trite law that the person making the allegation must prove it.”

According to him, contrary to his image as a civil rights activist, Ihekweme is nothing more than a mercenary pursuing his material gains.

He wondered why he did not resign as a commissioner under Uzodimma if the allegations against the governor were indeed true.

“Why did he have to wait until he was removed from office before discovering anomalies and misuse of funds in the government? Again, this is the same man who campaigned for Uzodimma’s re-election as governor in late October last year. Was he unaware of the shortcomings in the government or were his eyes opened when he was not appointed as Secretary to the State Government (SSG) as he had boasted to his friends?” Udechukwu asked.

He announced that the group also plans to prosecute Ihekweme for the crimes that led to his dismissal as commissioner, particularly crimes related to the theft and sale of state property.