2018 Budget: Lawmakers Shun Okorocha

For the first time in seven years, Governor Rochas Okorocha’s bid to present the Imo state budget has hit the rocks.


It will be recalled that Okorocha had scheduled Tuesday, by 10am, to present  the  2018 budget of the state.

But an unexpected drama played out when the lawmakers did not show for the budget presentation.

As at 11am when journalists visited the Assembly complex yesterday, some of their offices were locked. And by 5:58 pm, the Assembly workers had started going home.

Some of the lawmakers who did want their names mentioned told Vanguard that they would not continue to be fooled. And that they have come out to stand for the masses.

They argued that unless the governor accept to give account of how the bailout funds were used as well as a formal report on the past budgets, they would not appear for the 2018 budget presentation.

Some were of the view that the 2018 budget would be used to address the wrongs made in the past and that anybody who stands against their move will be impeached even if its the speaker, Mr. Acho Ihim.

“We love the Speaker and we love our governor, but we are asking for the right thing and for the right things to be done.”

Reacting, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state, through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Sam Onwuemeodo, said: “With utmost regret, we wish to inform the public that the announced presentation of the 2018 budget to the Imo State House of Assembly by the governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha fixed for Tuesday, November 28, 2017, could no longer hold, owing largely to disturbing discrepancies discovered in the budget speech.

“A new date for the budget presentation will, as usual, be made public.  We regret this development and we appeal to all those concerned with the exercise to bear with us.”