There may be no end to the war of attrition between Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha and the senator representing Anambra Central, Victor Umeh.
Umeh fired back at Okorocha yesterday for labelling him a non-performing senator.
The politician, who is also a former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), reiterated his regrets for supporting Okorocha to become governor about 10 years ago.
Addressing reporters in Abuja, the nation’s capital, the senator averred that his support for Okorocha, which made him governor, has remained a source of regret for him.
Umeh spoke in the National Assembly to underscore the need for the Senate to pass “A Bill for an Act to establish the Theatre Arts Professional Regulatory Council to provide for the regulation, training and registration of the Theatre Arts Professionals in Nigeria and for matters connected therewith, 2018 (SB.681)”.
The senator noted that Okorocha’s attempt to “orchestrate the impeachment of his deputy”, Chief Eze Madumere, convinced him that the governor is “an irredeemable and unconscionable leader”.
He said: “If Okorocha is allowed to succeed in piloting the impeachment of his deputy, it will be the second time Okorocha would be behind the removal of his deputy.”
Umeh insisted that Okorocha began to attack him because he advised him not to impeach Madumere, having impeached his first deputy, Chief Jude Agbaso, during his first tenure.
He said: “No doubt, Okorocha is about making history in Nigeria as the only governor who impeached two deputies. And because I advised him against impeaching the current one, he started attacking me.
“I regret supporting him to become governor of Imo State against all odds. I didn’t know he is a trickster who found his way into office through deception.”
The senator recalled how Okorocha declined to honour agreements with other party stalwarts in the state after his election success.
“Now, Okorocha has turned himself into a tiger that is attacking all of them without any molecule of conscience,” he said.
Umeh threatened to publish Okorocha’s alleged “fraudulent transactions” if he continued his outbursts against him.
He said: “Here is a man who was answering “yes sir, yes sir’ to me, even in the presence of my police orderly who has been working with me in the last 13 years.
“On getting to office, he suddenly changed, became a tiger and was attacking everybody. I have documents of some of his fraudulent practices and if he continues to attack on me, I will publish them.”