By Matthew Don
The Deputy Governor of Imo State, Eze Madumere has said his pedigree is far better than that of his principal, Rochas Okorocha.
While responding to Governor Rochas Okorocha’s interview on BBC Igbo Service, where the governor claimed that one of the reasons he chose his son-in-law over others was based on competence, Madumere said that Okorocha could not have been where he is today, without his tutelage and grooming.
Madumere made the clarification while fielding questions from newsmen over Okorocha’s verbal attack on him.
Madumere explained that without him there could not have been today’s Rochas Okorocha and could not have become even a Governor.
The Deputy Governor further chided Okorocha for blackmailing him and other members of cabinet as incompetent and talking them down, querying the yardstick for denying those that made him succeed.
He wondered why Okorocha could have the temerity to insult him, saying he could not have been incompetent when he was the one that developed the governor from his crude nature to what he is today.
He also said that he has refused to join issues with Okorocha for obvious reasons, chief of which is, not destroying what God has used him to do.
Explaining his background and relationship with Okorocha, Madumere said: “I have tried hard not to join issues with Governor Rochas. Those individuals he mentioned in his interview are all here. You have the immediate past SGI and former Accountant General, Sir George Eche, former Chief of Staff and former SGI, Sir Jude Ejiogu, former Speaker, Imo State House of Assembly and present Distinguished Senator, Senator Benjamin Uwajumogu and of course myself, Prince Eze Madumere, former Chief of Staff and the Deputy Governor of Imo State at present.
“If Madumere is not competent enough for all these years and that has been a hunch behind Rochas’ back. Without me, Rochas Okorocha would not have been where he is today and as a Governor. That alone speaks louder than even my pedigree. If we lay out our backgrounds in all ramifications, including our family background, I came from a better respected home than Rochas.
“Rochas has no home. All I can tell you is that I am more qualified and have better pedigree to govern Imo State than Rochas Okorocha; and I will do better as a Governor than what Rochas Okorocha has done. As a Deputy Governor, I rightly chose to take the side of the people than the side of the family of Rochas Okorocha.”