A group of Imo women under the aegis of Nigeria Rescue Group, has carried a peaceful demonstration along the streets of Owerri asking the Governor Rochas Okorocha to contest the 2015 election. The women carried placards which read “Rochas our man for 2015”, “Imo women will not keep silent again”, “Rochas na you we know”, “Imo needs you more than Abuja”, “Owelle hear us”, among others. Addressing the women at Bank Road – Dee Sam Mbakwe round-about, Governor Okorocha thanked them for appreciating his developmental strides in the state. He said he has respect for women as mothers and charged them to pray for peace, sustenance of good governance in Imo and promised to complete all ongoing projects across the state before the end of his tenure. Governor Okorocha noted that his administration has put in place a lot of infrastructural facilities in the state to improve the standard of living of the people. He maintained that his administration will continue to cater for the needs and interest of the people despite repeated attacks on his government. He then called for the cooperation of the people to enable his administration take the state to the peak of infrastructural development. Earlier, the spokesperson of the group, Mrs. C. Obi expressed the desire of Imo people for Governor Okorocha to re-contest the 2015 governorship election so that he would complete all projects he started in the state. She assured the governor that Imo women are solidly behind him.
Tag: Okorocha
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APC alleges plot to remove Okorocha
The All Progressive Congress (APC), yesterday alleged a fresh plot by the Presidency to unseat Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State. A stalwart of APC, Chief Ejikeme Ogbuagu, claimed that the Presidency has perfected plan to use the coming Supreme Court ruling on the state governorship election to sack the governor. A top official at the seat of power, he said, is co-ordinating the plot and has allegedly hosted prominent citizens from the state to draft them into the scheme. “Already, several individuals have been smuggled into Imo State to cause mayhem ahead of the Supreme Court submission on the state on the 31st of this month,” Ogbuagu said, adding: “The recent cancellation of Okorocha’s reception in the commercial city of Aba by the Abia State governor, Theodore Orji, was directed by the Presidency with the hope of inciting crisis to justify the plan to demonise Okorocha.” He further alleged that a top functionary of APGA has also been enlisted by the Presidency to stampede Okorocha out of office. He said: “Some prominent sons and daughters of Imo State in the Senate and House of Representatives have been recruited for the plot code named: ‘Remove Okorocha by all means’. He asked the Presidency to “call to order these officials dragging the President’s name in the mud to settle political scores.” Meanwhile, the Presidency last night denied the allegation to sack Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha from office. Speaking with The Nation on telephone, the Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Ahmed Gulak said the allegation was false and baseless. He said the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan will never manipulate any court judgment to unseat any governor. He maintained that the administration has always respected court judgments. He said: “That is not true. It is false. The Presidency cannot interfere in any court case because there is separation of power. The judiciary is different from the executive and legislature.” “People should allow the judiciary to do their work. We have never, in the history of this administration, interfered with any court judgment.” “This is one President that has always directed all government agencies to abide by court judgments. Nigerians should know that this is one President that always abides by court rulings in this country. And he has no reason at all to interfere in the work of the judiciary,” he added.
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Okorocha to watch Heartland against Rangers
• Deputy Gov screens players, officials
Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha will be at the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri tomorrow, to cheer up Heartland FC against visiting Rangers International FC of Enugu in the Week 37 match of the GLO/LMC Nigeria Premier League.
It will be the last home game of the season for the Owerri side seeking a win in tomorrow’s game to completely stave off any relegation haunt.
The Imo State Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere who was at the club’s office in Owerri for a meeting with the members of the club on Tuesday, said Okorocha will come for the match to support Heartland FC and that his presence will bring a big surprise to the team.
Madumere, who thanked the players and officials for making him proud by winning each time he came to watch their game, urged the players not to disappoint the governor whose visit would be to boost their morale against the ‘Flying Antelopes’ from Enugu State.
He gave indication that the governor’s visit might bring about an announcement on government release of fund for the settlement of players sign-on fees and transfer fees when he conducted a physical verification exercise on both players and officials and debts owed to all staff for the last two seasons.
Heartland FC’ sluggard run this season has been blamed mostly on low morale and constant strike action by players over welfare demands.
The ‘Naze Millionaires’ are occupying 11th position on the league table with 49 points from 36 games and with just two more games left to go in the season analysts calculate that they must win one of their two remaining matches to land on a safe ground by end of the season.
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Why Orji is angry with Okorocha
•Governors’ cold war traced to Ikemba’s funeral
More facts have emerged why all seems not to be well between Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha and his Abia State counterpart, Theodore Orji.
The cordial relationship hitherto enjoyed by the two Southeast governors turned sour after the funeral of the late Biafran leader, Ikemba Odimegwu Ojukwu, it was learnt.
According to a source, Orji’s animosity towards Okorocha was not unconnected with the treatment he received in Aba when the duo were in the commercial city for one of the funeral processions.
The source said: “During the lying-in-state of Ojukwu in Aba, the Abia governor, who came in the company of his Imo counterpart, was pelted with sachet (pure) water by the angry traders, who praised Okorocha to the consternation of his colleague.
“Orji, apparently stunned and angered by the incident, felt uncomfortable that a governor from another state could be more popular than him.
“Since then, the relationship between the duo has not been cordial, and Orji has done everything to stop Okorocha from taking advantage of his growing popularity to consolidate his political base in his state.”
Last weekend’s cancellation of Okorocha’s reception in Aba was not the first time the Abia State government aborted an event connected to the Imo State governor, it was also learnt.
The first was a civic reception to be organised in honour of the governor by Imo State indigenes in Abia State. It was stopped on the excuse that it was an unlawful assembly.
It was learnt that the plan by Okorocha to entrench the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Southeast had also fuelled Orji’s anger against him.
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Chaos as govt, police abort Okorocha’s visit to Aba
A large number of policemen yesterday cordoned off the Aba-Owerri, Federal Highway in Aba, Abia State following speculations that the Governor of Imo State, Owella Rochas Okorocha, was due to arrive the commercial city on a planned civic reception in his honour by the Nigeria Rescue Missionaries, Aba State chapter.
Five police patrol vans with registration numbers NPF 4442 C, NPF 4417 C, NPF 5413 C, NPF 4405 C and NPF 2279 C, were stationed in front of Abia Polytechnic’s gates, Brass junction and PZ junction respectively.
Erected canopies which were to be used for the aborted programme were seen turned upside down at the polytechnic pavilion’s field.
Despite the heavy presence of police and officers of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) who were on hand to handle the traffic gridlock outside the school gate, students who were writing their second semester were seen moving freely inside the institution’s premises.
Police Public Relations Officer, Geoffrey Ogbonna in a telephone interview, said the police were there to provide security and to forestall any breach of peace.
Ogbonna urged Aba residents to go about their lawful businesses as there was no cause for alarm.
Reacting to the development, the Deputy Chief of Staff to Imo State Government, Chinedu Offor said, “It is a shock that what is clearly a religious event organised by Southeast and Southsouth pastors to mark the birthday of Owelle Rochas Okorocha. All prior approvals, permits and payments were obtained by the organisers of the event.”
He asked, “Is Okorocha coming to Aba to canvass for votes? Is he coming to Aba to become the governor of Abia State? A similar event took place in Ibadan without a hitch. Despite this unwarranted action, Gov. Okorocha is appreciative of the efforts of Nigerians to mark his birthday and prays for showers of blessings to all those who planned the event.”
In a press statement released by the Chief Press Secretary to the Abia State Governor, Ugochukwu Emezue, defended the actions of the state government saying, “Abia State government will not be drawn into unnecessary matters with the Imo State government over a mundane issue that has to do with the purported birthday event of Governor Rochas Okorocha in Aba.
“What Okorocha planned to do in Abia Polytechnic, Aba was to launch his pet project called Imo Rescue Mission without permission from the school authorities.”
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Anxiety as Okorocha’s reception is stopped in Aba
The proposed civic reception in honour of Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okocha, scheduled to hold in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State was stopped allegedly by the state government. The reception which was organised by clergymen to mark the 51 birthday of the Governor Okorocha, was cancelled on the guise that it was a plot to launch the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state. According to one of the organisers who pleaded anonymity, “all arrangements have been concluded for tomorrow’s (today) event to mark our governor’s (Okorocha’s) birthday, we have paid for the venue and obtained police permit, but suddenly, the instruction came that it should not be held on the soil of Abia.” When contacted, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the governor, Mr. Chinedu Offor, said that they were not aware why the reception was stopped, adding that it was not a political rally but a religious affair. According to him, “our brothers and other progressive minded people in Abia State, felt that since the governor had been hosted in the South West, they felt they also should Felicitate with him, so I don’t see anything wrong with that.” However, efforts to reach the Chief Press Secretary to Abia State governor, did not succeed as calls made to his phone went unanswered.
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Guber poll: Tinubu, Akande head to Anambra for Ngige
The National leader of All Progressive Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to lead the interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, to Anambra on Tuesday.
They will attend Sen. Chris Ngige’s Governorship flag-off at the Holy Trinity field in the commercial city of Onitsha.
Other APC chieftains expected at the event are – Ngige’s governorship campaign team leader and Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha.
Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole and his counterparts in Osun and Nasarawa States, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Alhaji Ibrahim Al-Makura are co-leaders of the team.
Also, expected in Anambra are Sen. George Akume, interim National Publicity Secretary of APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Sen. Osita Izunaso and other National Assembly members in the party.
Speaking with The Nation on Monday in Awka, the Chairman of Ngige Campaign organization, Chief George Muoghalu, said that all arrangements had been put in place.
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Kogi varsity student dies in fire
Students of Kogi State University (KSU) are mourning Zainab Muhammed, a 300-Level student of Banking and Finance, who died in a fire caused by electric heater in her family house in Lokoja.
The incident occurred in the midnight.
Her friend, Maha Deborah, described her as “reserved”. Her classmates told CAMPUSLIFE that the late Debora was quiet and intelligent and never had problmes with anyone.
‘’We loved her so much. Zainab was such a wonderful person. She will be missed by every student,’’ Omolara Nelson said. He urged students to always pray against premature death, adding that her demise was unfortunate.
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Gov. Okorocha promises protesting Heartland
Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has promised to resolve the pay dispute of Heartland after he met with the protesting players on Tuesday.
A player told MTNFootball.com they finally met with the governor on Tuesday and he promised to see to their case.
“We met the Governor and he said he will get to us through the Deputy Governor, who he asked to meet with our general manager. He promised to make things right soon,” the player told MTNFootball.com.
Another player told MTNFootball.com the Governor demanded for all the documentations in respect of their sign-on fees and bonuses.
“The Governor promised to settle us but asked our GM to bring all the documents as it concern the sign-on fees and every other thing that he will pay,” he said.
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APC ‘ll liberate Nigeria, says Okorocha
•‘Party here to save Nigerians’
Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has assured that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would liberate the country, particularly the Southeast, from the shackles of poverty and ignorance caused by ungodly politicians.
The governor spoke in Owerri, the state capital, when members of the Enugu State chapter of the Nigerian Rescue Group (NRG) visited him at the Government House.
He regretted that corrupt politicians, who have ruled the nation, kept it in bondage.
Okorocha noted that the time has come for Ndigbo to know that they have been chosen to contribute to the development of the country.
The governor said the APC is the only party with credible and God-fearing leaders who would transform the nation.
He urged members of the party to shun money politics.
Okorocha assured that the party would take over the Southeast in 2015.
The state Coordinator of the organisation, Peter Okonkwo, explained that the visit was to identify with the governor on his notable achievements, especially massive road construction.
The APC National Organising Secretary Senator Osita Izunaso said Okorocha has contributed immensely towards uplifting the party at the state and national levels.
The Chairman of Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, Prince Olanrewaju Elegushi, has said the All progressives Congress (APC) is the party Nigerians need to overcome poverty.
Elegushi said poverty has become a deadly virus which, if not properly tackled, may destroy the nation.
The local government chief said the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has not done anything to show the beauty of democracy.
According to him, the PDP has brought pains and anguish to Nigeria since 1999.
Elegushi said: “The ruling party has done nothing to safeguard the future of this country, hence the birth of the APC with the visionary instinct of the progressives in the country.
“Let me assure Nigerians that the future of this country is bright, if they are ready for the change the APC is bringing into governance.”
Elegushi is among the 23 local government chairmen in Lagos who Nigeria (Pro) Wrestling Federation (NWF) plans to confer with the Continental Good Governance and Peace awards at the final ceremony of the third edition of BRF Wrestlemania at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.