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  • Okorocha denies fake social media statement, reaffirms commitment to APC

    Okorocha denies fake social media statement, reaffirms commitment to APC

    …says he did not say APC is no longer a political party

    Former Imo State Governor and Senator for Imo West, Rochas Okorocha, has denied making a viral statement circulating on social media in which he was falsely quoted as saying the All Progressives Congress (APC) is “no longer a political party.”

    In a statement issued on Monday by his Special Adviser on Media, Sam Onwuemeodo, Okorocha dismissed the quote as a “cock and bull story” fabricated by individuals envious of his political influence.

    The disputed quote claimed Okorocha described APC as “a party desperate to hijack power at all costs.” However, the former governor insisted he would never make such a remark, citing his deep-rooted commitment to the party’s formation and ideals.

    Read Also: 2027: APC forum urges Yilwatda to step up humanitarian efforts in Plateau

    According to the statement, Okorocha was instrumental in the merger that birthed the APC, served as the only sitting Southeast governor who joined the party at its inception, and was elected pioneer Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum.

    “As one of the founding fathers of the APC, Senator Okorocha remains fully committed to the party’s well-being and success,” the statement said, urging the public to disregard the fake quote and other attempts to tarnish his reputation.

    Okorocha maintained that his politics is defined by transparency and integrity, reaffirming his loyalty to the APC.

  • Abbas, Uba Sani, Onnoghen, Okorocha, Adeyemi, others lose Abuja plots of land

    Abbas, Uba Sani, Onnoghen, Okorocha, Adeyemi, others lose Abuja plots of land

    Seven hundred and sixty-two Nigerians, including House of Representatives Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, and organisations have lost their plots of land in the high-brow Maitama 1 District and other parts of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT).

    FCT Minister Nyesom Wike revoked their Certificates of Occupancy(Cs-of-O) and threatened to withdraw the Rights of Occupancy (Rs-of-O) of 614 other individuals and companies if they fail to pay outstanding bills on their plots within two weeks.

    The decisions by the minister were contained in two separate public notices published yesterday by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

    The revocation, according to one of the notices published,  was  informed by the unwillingness  of the affected persons, who are mostly serving and former public office holders,  to pay  the Cs-of-O) of the affected plots of land.

    The second notice hinged on the threat to cancel the Rs-of-O due to the allottees’ failure to pay outstanding bills on their plots.

    One of the revoked Cs-of-O is that of the land belonging to the Muhammadu Buhari Trust Foundation.

    However, Shehu Garba, media aide to former President Muhammadu Buhari, clarified that the land belonged to the foundation and not his principal.’

    Read Also: Tinubu’s vision for the livestock sector will unlock vast potential – Minister 

    Other prominent persons listed in the revocation notice are Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) George Akume and his wife, Regina; former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State; former   Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo),    Ben Ayade(Cross River), Shaaba Lafiagi (Kwara),  Ahmad Sani (Zamfara) and Kabiru Gaya  (Kano).

    Also on the list are Senate Chief Whip  Tahir Monguno;  Senators  Enyinnaya Abaribe, Abdul Ningi, Dino Melaye, Smart Adeyemi,   Sunday Karimi, Abdulfatai Buhari, Barnabas Gemade, Shehu Sani, Adeyemi Adaramodu, Abba Moro, Danjuma La’ah and Abdulmumin Jibrin, Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe, Obinna Chidoka, Nicholas Mutu, Dan Reneiju, Ezenwa Oyewuchi, Chinyere Igwe, David Umaru, Oluwole Oke and Oker Jev.

    The list also contains the names of former House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Chibudom Nwuche; former Senate Leader Teslim Folarin, Nnenna Ukeje,   Dapo Lam-Adesina, Leo Ogor, Francis Alimkhena and Lynda Ikpeazu.

    Those threatened with revocation orders in the second notice  include two former Senate  Presidents–  Iyorchia Ayu and Ameh Ebute–; Senators Andy Uba, Biodun Olujimi, Agom Jarigbe, Kingsley Chinda, and Ben Obi;  former Ebonyi State Governor Sam Egwu; erstwhile Aviation Minister   Stella Oduah;   and  Deputy Governor of Edo State Dennis Idahosa.

    Also on the list are the Labour Party(LP) presidential candidate in last year’s general election  Peter Obi, former Cross River State Governor  Liyel Imoke; former National Planning Minister   Udo Udoma, late SGF   Ufot Ekaette;  Publisher of  Leadership,  the late  Sam Nda-Isaiah and Senator  Victor Oyofo.    

    A former Supreme Court Justice and Chairman of the 2005 National Conference, the late  Niki Tobi; a former Attorney-General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi; Chidinma, wife of a former Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka; and Paul Nwabiukwu, media aide to the Director-General of World Trade Congress (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala are among others listed.

    The corporate entities with their allocation revoked are BUA Group, whose plot is at  335 in Katampe; Julius Berger Nigeria with a plot at 2217 also in  Katampe and  Honeywell Construction with a plot at 653 in the Idu Industrial Area of the FCT.

    The second notice by the  FCTA reads: “The Federal Capital Territory Administration wishes to inform the allottee (s)/title holder (s) of plots of land in Maitama 1 who have failed to make payment for their Certificate of Occupancy (Cs-of-O) bills after the expiration of grace period granted by the Honourable Minister, Federal Capital Territory that their Right of Occupancy to the land/property have been withdrawn, pursuant to the provisions of Section 28 of the Land Use Act of 1978 for contravention of the terms of grant which obligated the title/interest holders to settle all bills.

    “Section 28 of the Land Use Act, to which the FCTA notice referred, stipulates how landed properties vested in individuals can be revoked by authorities. Subsection Five   empowers state governors (the Minister of the FCT in the case of Abuja) to revoke a statutory right of occupancy on the ground of-

    “(a) a breach of any of the provisions which a certificate of occupancy is by section 10 of this Act deemed to contain;

    “breach of any term contained in the certificate of occupancy or in any special contract made under section 8 of this Act. The non-payment of statutory fees by landowners are considered violations for which allocated plots can be revoked.

     “The Federal Capital Territory Administration hereby informs the general public, particularly allotee (s)/title holder (s) of land in the Maitama 1 District of the FCT who have since made payment of their outstanding Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) bills to as a matter of urgency pay the balance of their bills within two weeks from the date of this publication or have their Rights of Occupancy (Rs-of-O) titles withdrawn.” 

    Buhari not owner of revoked plot

    Following online media reports, Shehu debunked claims that the revoked land listed as  Muhammadu Buhari Trust Foundation belonged to his boss. 

    Shehu explained in a statement that the foundation was established by individuals close to the former President.

    He said the foundation lawfully acquired the land with support from well-meaning Nigerians but encountered bureaucratic hurdles when the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) presented an unusually high bill for the issuance of the C–of–O.

    “This bill was far higher than what was typically charged to similar organisations,” he said, adding that the revocation of the property rights came as no surprise.

    He further stressed that Buhari, during his tenure, had demonstrated a personal disinterest in acquiring additional land in Abuja.

    “When he and his cabinet members were invited to apply for land in the FCT, he returned the form unfilled, stating that he already owned a plot and that others without land should benefit instead,” Shehu explained.

    He chided commentators spreading ‘’misinformation’’ about the revoked plot.

    “Let those jumping up and down in the digital space get their facts right and stop dragging the name of the former president into baseless controversies,” Shehu said.

    The FCT  Minister had in September last year announced the revocation of Cs-of-O of 165 plots in Abuja.

    Last month, Wike emphasised that he would not mind hurting the rich in the reforms he was introducing in the territory.

    He also pegged the cost of obtaining a C-of-O at N5 million, with a four-month window for payment, and vowed to end multiple allocations of the same plot to different people.

  • Ex-Imo governor Okorocha’s house collapses in Abuja

    Ex-Imo governor Okorocha’s house collapses in Abuja

    A five-storey building owned by the former governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has collapsed along Ahmadu Bello Way in Abuja.

    The building, according to the report, collapsed around 9:pm yesterday sending panic to the entire neighbourhood.

    In a swift reaction, personnel of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command immediately cordoned off the entire area.

    It was gathered that the collapsed building was under renovation.

    Eyewitnesses said some persons might have been trapped in the building.

    “There is a possibility that there could be some people inside the collapsed building who may have died. I saw two people being pulled out from the rubble now and taken to the hospital while rescue operations were ongoing. The emergency responders are not coordinated yet for efficient operations,” an eyewitness said.

    Read Also: IGP orders expansion of NCCC operations to FCID ANNEX offices

    But a statement signed by the spokesperson of the Command, Josephine Adeh, said three persons were rescued from the collapsed building.

    The statement partly reads: “The FCT Police Command hereby confirms that yesterday, July 1, 2024, about 8:40 p.m., there was a building collapse at Unity House, Area 11 by Nkwere Street.

    “In response to the distress call, the Commissioner of Police, FCT, CP Benneth C. Igweh, psc, mni, promptly moved to the scene with multiple patrol teams as first responders to cordon off the area for possible rescue.

    “Three victims were successfully evacuated from the collapsed building and rushed to the hospital for medical care.”

  • Imo Gov: Okorocha, Araraume collapse support structures for Anyanwu

    Imo Gov: Okorocha, Araraume collapse support structures for Anyanwu

    The Imo chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has inaugurated its campaign council for the Nov. 11 governorship election with a boost from two All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwarts, Rochas Okorocha and Senator Ifeanyi Araraume.

    Their endorsement of the PDP candidate, Senator Samuel Anyanwu was announced at the event in Owerri on Tuesday.

    Several members of Okorocha’s Rescue Mission Group and Araraume’s Destiny Group announced their endorsement of Anyanwu adding that he was the only candidate who could wrest power from Gov Hope Uzodinma.

    The council was inaugurated by the party’s Chairman, Charles Ugwu. Speaking on the development, Ugwu said the campaign will have Ikenga Ugochinyere, a member of the Federal House of Representatives, as Director-General, and Prince Marshal Okoroaforanyanwu as Secretary.

    He charged all members to work towards ensuring the party’s victory in the election.

    PDP’s gubernatorial candidate, Senator Samuel Anyanwu said he is in the race to end killings and insecurity, revamp the health system and restore the dignity of the workforce and pensioners.

    He said that he would return tourism to the State and get the local governments working again. 

    He charged the council not to be afraid but carry out its lawful duties and not be intimidated by any person or group.

    Read Also: Okorocha endorses Uzodinma for second term

    “I will lead and I fear nobody. I want to stop the bloodletting and suffering in the land. Do not be afraid, I know where I’m coming from.

    “I am your messenger and I will lead you right. My name is Samuel, God has spoken and I have heard”, he said.

    Okoroaforanyanwu, secretary of the council, said the PDP’s choice of Anyanwu, who is from the Imo East senatorial district , favored the principle of equity.

    He said the district had ruled the State for only seven months since the return of democratic rule in 1999.

  • Ihedioha to Okorocha: I am not on vendetta mission

    Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha has advised his predecessor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha,  not to see the Judicial Panel of Inquiry to probe land transactions in the state as an attempt to witch hunt him.

    He said the former governor was making petty allegations.

    The governor said he has deliberately avoided the ploy of the former governor to drag his administration into controversy.

    Ihedioha reminded his predecessor that the people had already evaluated his performance, adding that he has a case to answer.

    However, he maintained that he has no intention to witch hunt the former governor.

    Ihedioha explained that the probe was setup, following complaints, petitions and lamentations by indigenes of the state.

    The governor wondered why Okorocha arrived at the unfounded allegations that the panel was set-up to witch hunt.

    He said he could not understand why there was panic in the camp of the former governor when the panel was yet to be inaugurated.

    Ihedioha said Okorocha regresed into the media war to distract his administration and derail his programmes.

    The governor maintain that he was not on a vendetta mission against his predecessor.

    Ihedioha said Okorocah was out of tune with reality, urging him to reflect on his past mistakes.

    The governor  said investors and donor agencies are not looking at the direction of Imo State, following the change of guard.

    He promised to fulfil his campaign promises and ensure that the mistakes committed by his predecessor are not repeated. Ihedioha urged the people to support his administration in its bid to develop the state.

    He said: “My administration is on course and cannot be distracted or derailed by mindless and unfounded allegations, which of course, are poorly rehearsed and diversionary stunts intended to pull wool over the eyes of Imo people and Nigerians.

    “I will subject to judicious scrutiny every action that violated the people and the extant laws of the land. But, the innocent has nothing to fear.

  • Okorocha to Ihedioha: Don’t take Imo backward

    Former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has advised his successor, Emeka Ihedioha, to avoid policies that will take the state backward.

    Okorocha urged him to borrow a leaf from his Oyo State counterpart, Seyi Makinde, and desist from attacking his legacies, with the sole aim of getting accolades from his party members.

    The former governor, who was reacting to the setting up of a Judicial Panel of Inquiry to review land acquisition and allocation between 2006 and 2019, described it as another ploy to malign him.

    A statement by his Media Adviser, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, said the decision was in bad faith.

    Read Also: Takeover of varsity further attack on my achievements- Okorocha

    He said: “Looking at the members of the panel, who are card-carrying members of the PDP, and their terms of reference, one would have no other option than to conclude that the governor has his target or mission, which is to continue his vendetta against the past APC government in the state and the man who headed it, Senator Rochas Okorocha.

    “Governor Ihedioha has set up more than 14 committees and panels since he became governor and each of the committees or panels has one or two specific assignments to carry out and all against the APC government, which Senator Okorocha had led. For instance, the Prof. Jude Njoku’s education committee took no other action than to take over the PPP-oriented Eastern Palm University and also scrapped the six new Universities, four new Polytechnics and three new Colleges of Education built by Okorocha”.

    Okorocha added: “The panel on infrastructure made no other recommendation than to give the governor the licence to demolish some of the prime projects of the former governor like the flyovers, tunnels and waterfalls.”

  • My daughter’s life is being threatened, says Okorocha

    Former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has raised the alarm over alleged threats to his daughter, Mrs. Uloma Nwosu, and other members of his family.

    Okorocha, through his Personal Assistant, Ebere Nzewuji, accused a top Imo State government official of ordering thugs to attack Mrs. Nwosu in Owerri.

    According to him, a trending video showed the thugs holding Mrs. Nwosu hostage, claiming they were given special order to seize her vehicle until the government official arrives at the place. He said the incident, which happened on July 26, threw people into panic.

    He said: “Few days ago, members of the Imo State Recovery Team went to her shop and looted her goods on the claims they were government property. They also went to the former first lady’s shop and carted away some containers. These were gift items and souvenirs she gives to first ladies and dignitaries during her annual August meeting, including items sold in her furniture shop.

    Read Also: Taskforce raids Okorocha’s wife’s business mall

    “These things happening in Imo State is very serious. It will lead to a total breakdown of law and order if care is not taken. We have reported to the police, even from the last incident, and we don’t think any serious action has been taken so far. We call on the authorities to do something about it before there is a breakdown of law and order.”

    But Governor Emeka Ihedioha dismissed the allegation as unfounded. He noted that the blackmail by Okorocha would not deter him from recovering movable government assets allegedly stolen during the last administration.

    His media aide, Steve Osuji, insisted that no appointee of the Ihedioha-led administration assaulted Okorocha’s daughter as claimed.

    “We are not aware that such thing happened. We are not unruly like them. If they are sure of what they are saying, let them go to court. They know the right thing to do,” he added.

  • Stolen vehicles: Okorocha gives Ihedioha seven days to show proof

    Senator Rochas Okorocha has given the Imo State government seven days to substantiate allegations that his wife and family members made away with 67 vehicles belonging to the state.

    Okorocha challenged the government to publish the particulars and list of the vehicles, as well as the N50 billion allegedly diverted by his family when he was governor.

    The Imo State Committee on Recovery of Government Property, headed by Jasper Ndubuaku, on Wednesday accused the former governor and his wife of making away with 67 vehicles belonging to the government.

    A statement by Okorocha’s media aide, Sam Onwuemeodo, said: “The media quoted the Chairman of the Committee on Recovery of Government Properties, Jasper Ndubuaku, as claiming that former Governor Rochas Okorocha and wife Nkechi left with 67 vehicles and N50 billion. They also made similar claims against appointees of the former governor and other related bodies that worked with the last administration.

    Read Also: Imo discovers fresh N20bn judgment debts incurred by Okorocha’s administration

    “We challenge Governor Emeka Ihedioha and his appointees to publish the list and particulars of these 67 vehicles, as well as details of the N50 billion the former governor and wife made away with vis-à-vis other items thereto. And we give them seven days to do the publication or bend their heads in shame.

    “We also challenge them to publish the properties the former appointees must have left with, either as a group or as individuals. The burden to publish evidence of all these claims is now on Governor Ihedioha and his appointees.

    “We equally ask that they harmonize their claims because almost all the key appointees of the government have made their diverse claims on these issues, to the extent that nobody knows who among them should be believed. They should harmonize their claims before the publication.

  • Ignore EFCC’s petition against judge, Okorocha urges NJC, Abuja CJ

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has urged Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and Chief Judge of the Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, to discountenance the petition written by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against Justice Taiwo Taiwo for lack of merit.

    In the said petition, EFCC alleged professional misconduct and abuse of judicial powers against the judge for granting an order enforcing Okorocha’s fundamental human rights.

    Okorocha’s letter, titled – Re: EFCC Reports Justice Taiwo to NJC over Restraining Order on Okorocha, Saraki” – noted that “contrary to the impression being created by the EFCC through its chairman, the order granted by Justice Taiwo was made pursuant to two fundamental human rights suits that I filed before the Court”.

    He added that the move against him by the EFCC “smacks of political vendetta and persecution”.

    The governor stated that the EFCC operatives ransacked his house in Jos, Plateau State, in May 2017, hoping to find something incriminating against him but found nothing.

    The commission also arrested almost all his principal staff “and in every case, insisting that they must make statements to indict me. When they refused, they were kept in custody for two days”.

    He said: “My political opponents accused me of nursing an ambition to contest for the Deputy Senate President. In their reasoning, they said the position will give me an edge to contest for President in 2023; so, everything must be done to get me out of the way.

    “Instead of the Ibrahim Magu-led EFCC to prove its case before the court, having submitted to its jurisdiction, it has resorted to cheap blackmail, needless name-calling and unwarranted arm-twisting, all in a bid to achieve their sinister motive of decimating me by all means…”

    Okorocha called on the NJC Chairman and the FHC Chief Judge to counsel EFCC to demonstrate confidence in the ability of its lawyers to defend it and that of the judiciary to dispense justice instead of making “hollow attempt at forum-shopping and name-calling.”

  • How Okorocha wrecked Southeast APC, by Uzodinma

    Senator Hope Uzodinma was the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State in the March 9 election. In this interview with TONY AKOWE, he speaks on the outcome of the poll and rift with the out-going governor, Chief Rochas Okorocha.

    Could you give an insight into the conduct of the recent governorship election in Imo State?

    It is a sad situation because our people came out to vote but results that did not reflect the will of the people were declared. We campaigned, our people embraced the party and we sold our messages and because the people needed a change, they supported my candidature, they came out in enmass and voted for us. But unfortunately, the electoral umpire, for whatever reasons gave the type of declaration they gave. As a law abiding citizen, I have remained calm and approached the governorship election tribunal and I am hopeful that at the end of the day justice will be done.

    People attributed the defeat APC suffered to the internal crisis within the APC in the state…

    Party is about human beings. When we came into the party from the PDP, we populated the party sufficiently and majority of our people came into APC and it became the party to beat in Imo state. We have the men and women who can deliver in every election. I emerged through a keenly contested party primaries and became the candidate of our party. Both the political class in Imo, religious leaders, were unanimous in agreeing that Hope Uzodinma is the solution to the dictatorial regime of Governor Okorocha. So, they joined us to campaign and the people came out to support APC despite the sabotage by the governor. Yes, there were issues in the party, but the enthusiasm of our people to ensure that another APC-led administration is enthroned after the woeful outing of Governor Okorocha propelled them to come out and vote for the APC despite the crisis. We are hopeful that the wish of Imo people who voted massively for me will prevail at the end of the judicial process.

    Governor Okorocha has boasted on several occasions that without him, there is no APC in Imo and the Southeast. How would you react to that?

    I will not like to join issues with Okorocha but as we all have seen that Okorocha became the problem of APC not only in Imo state but the entire South East due to his character as a person and as a governor. He allowed his greed to supersede his sense of reasoning. He is one man who run people down to survive and that is why today karma is catching up with him. Political party is not about one man and leadership is not something that one sit in his bedroom to claim. Leadership is defined by the type of followership that you have. The governor, of course you know his current status is on suspension from the party and the APC did not just wake up overnight to suspend him. They suspended him due to various cases of anti-party activities. I have refused deliberately to join issues with the governor publicly, the reason is because I am a loyal party man. Once the leadership of the party takes decision I follow. No one man can arrogate to himself the powers of God, that without him the party will not be. The party is for all of us. That is why in Imo State we have 305 electoral wards and in those electoral wards we have party Executives. In 27 Local Governments we have party executives and at all these levels we have Executive Committees and membership. So, it will be unfair for anybody to say that without him there is no APC in the Southeast. Southeast has great men and women in the APC. If Okorocha has such powers as he is arrogating to himself, he should have also won the governorship election for his son in-law Uche Nwosu whom he sponsored. He is a man that loves attracting attention to himself and also enjoys misinforming the people with a view to score cheap political points. But his time is up. I warned Okorocha at the beginning of our struggle to liberate Imo State that he will surely leave government House on May 29, and if he likes let him appoint all members of his family into positions in the state. He thought I was joking, maybe he was thinking he is going to amend the constitution to remain in power. Okorocha never thought tomorrow will come and here we come. APC, any time any day, will win election in Imo and the Southeast without Okorocha. And I can tell you that in the next election, APC will win more states in the Southeast when people like Okorocha is out of the scene. Okorocha should actually learn from the leadership style of President Buhari and Comrade Oshiomhole to be a good leader. And I can also add that the elections in the Southeast were manipulated in favour of the PDP and I am optimistic that by the time the cases in various courts are over the popular wish of the people will emanate. The results declared in some of the states in the South East does not reflect the true wishes of the people but I am optimistic that justice will prevail at the end of the day.

    Governor Okorocha has accused the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Oshiomhole, and INEC of being behind his travails, especially the non-issuance of Certificate of Return to him. What do you have to say about that?

    Let me also tell you, he is not only accusing the national chairman. In his heart, he is also accusing the Presidency, but due to his sycophancy he has not said it. He is scared, that is why he has not said it openly, because he has been accusing everybody. I don’t know where and how the National chairman will possess that kind of powers to direct INEC to cease certificate of return, decides what happens in the DSS, the police, decides what happens in INEC. Meanwhile this is a national chairman that campaigned vigorously across the length and breathe of Nigeria to ensure that the APC emerged victorious not only at the state level but also at the national level. So if he has such powers as Okorocha is saying, it means that APC would have won in the entire 774 Local Governments in Nigeria, the 36 states and the entire National Assembly seats would have been won by APC because that is the wish of every national chairman of a party that is in power. But he confined himself to the dictates of democratic norms by campaigning for his party with our presidential candidate which led to the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC candidates. I don’t want to discuss Okorocha because he is one of those who are not comfortable with the discipline that the Oshiomhole led NWC has brought to the APC. Greedy politicians like Okorocha cannot like Oshiomhole. Was Oshiomhole in Imo the day Okorocha harassed INEC returning officer to declare him winner under duress as alleged by the returning officer? The man just makes frivolous claims to draw attention to himself because he is looking for an escape route. I think something is definitely not normal with governor Okorocha going by his recent utterances in public. It gives cause for concern. No matter what he wants to say about Oshiomhole, Nigerians know the former Edo state governor as a true leader and what makes a true leader, a leader must be bold, courageous, flexible, influential, charismatic, enjoys followership and a leader must have passion for the party and the people. I can tell you every committed member of our party believes that Oshiomhole is a round peg in a round hole for our party today.

    What should Nigerians expect from President Buhari’s second term?

    His re-election shows the confidence Nigerians have on the President. And when a President is re-elected, it means he has done well to justify the confidence reposed on him by the electorate. All we need to do as Nigerians is to continue to support his good works. He needs the support of all Nigerians to ensure that his war against corruption is sustained. His agricultural policy is sustained. I can tell you that under the leadership of President Buhari, things will change for the better. Electricity will work, drinking water will be available, our transport system will function, we will have quality education. We need to support Mr President because he means well for Nigerians. He believes in one Nigeria and we need to ensure that under one united Nigeria, an elder statesman, like President Buhari will be supported to remove Nigeria from the woods. His anti-corruption crusade has worked. His vision for Nigeria is working. So we do hope that in the next four years Nigerians will have cause to rejoice.

    The people of the Southeast are agitating for principal positions in the 9th Assembly while some Nigerians are saying they don’t deserve it since they failed to vote for the APC. What is your take on that?

    Honestly, this is politics. During the campaigns, I spoke to our people at different fora and informed them that APC is the ruling party and for us as Igbos to be relevant to the Nigerian project, APC is the best route. I warned them that tomorrow, we cannot come and cry about marginalisation, if we failed to join the ruling party now. I told them that because of the impeccable records of President Buhari, that Nigerians will re-elect him for a second term, therefore the Igbos needed to be part of this moving train. We told our people to join, but some thought otherwise. However, the voting pattern in the Southeast will come out better after the various litigations in court because of the poor handling of the electoral process, particularly in the Southeast, because I knew majority voted for APC.

    Having served your people as a Senator, what were your achievements?

    If you go and check my records, I have many motions sponsored and passed by the senate. I sponsored many bills, some which has become laws just like the Electronic transaction bill which Mr President signed into law which makes electronic contract a valid way of transaction now in Nigeria. All my bills that I sponsored are there. I attracted several roads to my constituency, I was able to give jobs to unemployed graduates in my constituency through the assistance of various agencies and we have many of them working today. I brought rural electrification projects in my constituency. I built several town halls and rehabilitated some federal roads in my constituency through the assistance of the Federal Ministry of Works and the NDDC. So I did a lot and because of the so many things I achieved, I have received awards from Churches, communities. My passion for rural development gave me the urge to attract developmental projects to my constituency. I am putting my achievements into a document which will soon be unveiled. Infact in that book, I am called the Democratic Soldier. I am happy I was given the opportunity to serve my people, I was never declared under duress (laughter). And I am always ready to serve my people in any capacity. We will continue to serve our people to the glory of God.

    There are people who also felt that the party was becoming over bearing regarding the leadership position of the 9th National Assembly…

    I have been around for a very long time playing partisan politics. I am a good party man, I will not be one of those that will question the decisions of the party hierarchy. The essence of party democracy is that the party is supreme. So if the party takes a decision it is incumbent on all of us to follow and toe the line of the party because no matter where you are, House of Reps, senate or governor, you got there through the instrumentality of the party. So it is even the party that wins the election and not the candidates. So if you are saying that you don’t want to be loyal to the party, it means you are telling the party to withdraw their sponsorship. And once the party does that it means you have lost your position. So I think that the 9th National Assembly should adhere to the decision of the party and not to be disobedient to the party because constitutionally speaking, you cannot contest elections in Nigeria without the sponsorship of a political party. There is no provision for an independent candidate in our constitution. So they should all bear this in mind.