The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Okorocha

  • Ex-Speaker appeals to Okorocha

    Former Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly Goodluck Nana Opiah has appealed to Governor Rochas Okorocha to pay the terminal benefits and stipends of former lawmakers.

    The former Speaker, who made the appeal yesterday at a briefing in Owerri, lamented that the former member, who represented Ideato North constituency, Louis Chukwu, died following his alleged inability to access proper health attention due to paucity of funds.

    “It is most unfortunate that all political office holders and appointees of government, who served between 2007 and 2011, left without receiving their terminal benefits and stipends,” Opiah said.

    He said efforts made to get the governor to pay these legitimate entitlements failed.

    Opiah appealed to the state government to pay the late lawmaker’s entitlements to his family.

  • Group seeks support for Okorocha

    Group seeks support for Okorocha

    The National Coordinator of the Target Ahead, Comrade Tony Onye, has called on the proposed All Progressives Congress (APC) to field an Igbo candidate as its presidential candidate in the 2015 elections.

    In a statement by the group, Onye said an Igbo presidential candidate would lead APC to victory in the 2015 elections. He, however, tipped the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, as the best Igbo man for the job.

    Onye said: “In the Southeast and Southsouth, no other person has updated his or her record than Rochas Okorocha. He is a detrabilised Nigerian, who plays politics without bitterness and represents unity.”

    “He is the governor who has over 50 northerners, 30 westerners and other none Igbo employed in his government.”

    Onye maintained that, when other governors were busy sacking none indigenes from civil service, he was busy recruiting none indigenes.

    He urged the APC not to allow narrow interests to becloud its choice of the presidential candidate that commands the support of all Nigerians, irrespective of where the candidate comes from.

    He added: “APC should not rely on sentiments or tribalism to fail to score the very point of its essence, by saving the country from the draconian rule of the People Democratic Party (PDP), which has milked its citizens dry.”

    Onye commended the bold initiatives of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and a faction of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) for coming together to save this country from the cabal that had held it hostage.

    “With what the citizens of this country has gone through in the past 12 years under the current ruling party, we must be prepared to halt the season of kidnapping, assassination and other bloodletting activities going on in the country, which is further climax by organised corruption.”

     

  • Group seeks support for Okorocha

    Group seeks support for Okorocha

    The National Coordinator of the Target Ahead, Comrade Tony Onye, has called on the proposed All Progressives Congress (APC) to field an Igbo candidate as its presidential candidate in the 2015 elections.

    In a statement by the group, Onye said an Igbo presidential candidate would lead APC to victory in the 2015 elections. He, however, tipped the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, as the best Igbo man for the job.

    Onye said: “In the Southeast and Southsouth, no other person has updated his or her record than Rochas Okorocha. He is a detrabilised Nigerian, who plays politics without bitterness and represents unity.”

    “He is the governor who has over 50 northerners, 30 westerners and other none Igbo employed in his government.”

    Onye maintained that, when other governors were busy sacking none indigenes from civil service, he was busy recruiting none indigenes.

    He urged the APC not to allow narrow interests to becloud its choice of the presidential candidate that commands the support of all Nigerians, irrespective of where the candidate comes from.

    He added: “APC should not rely on sentiments or tribalism to fail to score the very point of its essence, by saving the country from the draconian rule of the People Democratic Party (PDP), which has milked its citizens dry.”

    Onye commended the bold initiatives of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) and a faction of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) for coming together to save this country from the cabal that had held it hostage.

    “With what the citizens of this country has gone through in the past 12 years under the current ruling party, we must be prepared to halt the season of kidnapping, assassination and other bloodletting activities going on in the country, which is further climax by organised corruption.”

  • Release rerun result, Okorocha tells INEC

    •Why election was inconclusive, by commission 

    Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha yesterday urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to announce the result of last weekend’s House of Assembly rerun election for Oguta Constituency.

    INEC withheld the result of the election by declaring it inconclusive due to what he described as widespread violence that forced the election to be cancelled in some polling booths.

    But the governor, who faulted the claims of the commission, alleged that INEC officials colluded with politicians to cancel the election, which he insisted was won by the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA)candidate, Walter Uzonwanne.

    Speaking during a post-election briefing, Okorocha urged INEC to resist apparent pressure to frustrate the people’s effort in electing their own representatives.

    “We have authentic result sheets duly signed by INEC where the APGA candidate emerged winner with a convincing margin. But at about the time the election result was to be announced, a phone call came and after that INEC said the election was inconclusive.

    “I am appealing to INEC to redeem its integrity and issue a Certificate of Return to the APGA candidate. How can it be inconclusive since the document/report of the conduct of the election had been signed by the Returning Officer, Cynthia Oguike.”

    The governor accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of masterminding the problems that trailed the election, positing that it was the first real election in Oguta. Where else in Nigeria has election held for four consecutive times and yet no headway?

    Okorocha added: “There are 129 polling units of which election was conducted in 121 and the remaining eight booths have about 4,000 voters. Supposing the election in the remaining eight polling booths was won by the PDP, APGA still has a comfortable margin.

    “I have personally endured humiliation so that peace may reign in the state. I believe that the election is not worth the blood of any resident but the PDP will not allow peace to reign.

    “I want the PDP national leadership to warn its members in Imo State who are fomenting crisis because they have lost grip at home.”

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Celina Oko, agreed that the difference between the first and second candidate in the election was 2,011 votes.

    The REC, who declined to mention the candidate who was leading, noted that the commission was adhering to the provisions of the Electoral Act, which stipulates that in an election where the number of voters in an area where election failed to hold is higher than the difference between the winner and the runners up, it would be declared inconclusive.

    The PDP state chairman, Mr. Bar Duruiheoma, said the government was mischievous.

    He said: “The government created the situation; we are the victims of their criminality.”

    The police have paraded 118 suspected political thugs who were arrested in some parts of Oguta during the election.

    The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Katsina Musa Mohammad, said the suspects were arrested in various locations during and immediately after the elections.

    They are undergoing interrogation for various offences, including breach of public peace, unlawful assembly, unlawful possession of firearms, malicious damage, among other criminal offences.

     

  • Youths apologise to Okorocha for convoy attack

    •N500m trust fund for youths

    Youths from Oguta Local Government Area of Imo State yesterday apologised to Governor Rochas Okorocha for the attack on his convoy.

    The attack was allegedly spearheaded by a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in a House of Assembly re-run election.

    Over 1,000 youths stormed the Government House at 10.30am.

    They said their visit was to demonstrate their support for Okorocha and his administration ahead of the June 29 election.

    The leaders of the delegation- Dennis Nwachukwu, Jeff Nwaoha, and Prince Eze Solomon- described the attack as an embarrassment to the people and not Okorocha.

    They described the PDP candidate as a “prodigal son” whose desperation to win the forthcoming election at all cost made him to defy every caution and unleashed attack on the convoy.

    The youths said: “With Oguta benefiting so much from your benevolence, you deserve better treatment than the attack by the PDP candidate and his thugs.”

    They promised to ensure that the candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Walter Uzonwanne, wins the rerun.

    Okorocha praised the youths for their support and reiterated his commitment to sustain the ongoing transformation championed by his administration.

    He appealed to the youths to remain law-abiding even in the face of provocation, adding that the forthcoming election in Oguta should not be seen as a do-or-die affair.

    The governor said any vote cast for the APGA candidate is a vote in support of his administration and for the liberation of Oguta Local Government Area.

    He lamented the level of neglect of the oil producing area by previous PDP administrations.

    Okorocha vowed to ensure that the people are liberated from bondage.

    He said the government planned to launch a N500 million Trust Fund for direct empowerment of youths from Oguta and Ohaji/Egbema, both oil producing areas of the state.

     

  • Politics of Okorocha’s attack

    Politics of Okorocha’s attack

    The recent attack on the convoy of Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, in Oguta by some protesting youths is still generating ripples in the state.

    An unconfirmed report has it that the protest was allegedly masterminded by an unnamed senator and key leaders of an opposition party in the state. Okorocha had visited the area to inspect some ongoing projects, but in the thinking of his opponents, the visit was a decoy to campaign for APGA candidate, Walter Uzonwanne, who is contesting the bye election for Oguta Constituency seat in the House of Assembly. The protest, according to a source, is to portray the governor as unpopular in the area.

  • Ndigbo ready to dump PDP for APC, says Okorocha

    Ndigbo ready to dump PDP for APC, says Okorocha

    Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, disclosed yesterday that the Ndigbo had concluded plans to dump the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2015 general elections.

    The Governor said the decision became imperative due to the gross neglect and marginalization suffered by the South East geo-political zone under the PDP leadership.

    Okorocha made the disclosure when he played host to the Abia State chapter of Igbo Rescue Mission, a political pressure group in the Government House, Owerri.

    He described the APC as a child of circumstance which arose from the failure of the PDP to deliver quality and good governance to Nigerians, adding that the new party, which he said represents a coalition of major opposition parties in Nigeria, was being positioned to provide the credible and acceptable platform that will enthrone the leadership Nigerians desire in the 2015 general elections.

    Okorocha, who decried the marginalization suffered by the Ndigbo under the ruling PDP, pointed out that the party (PDP) had continuously denied the Ndigbo the five principal positions he listed as the office of the President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker House of Representative and the Chairman of the ruling party.

    He further enjoined the Igbo to play politics that can guarantee them national relevance as APC now remains the only party that has a future for the zone and entire Nigerians, going by its ideology.

    Speaking earlier, the leader of the group, Chief Ben Udensi said they were in the Government House to demonstrate support and solidarity to the Governor for his vision and leadership qualities, which he noted have guaranteed the dividends of democracy to the people of the state.

  • PDP accused of masterminding attack on Okorocha’s convoy

    •It was an accident, says candidate

    More facts emerged yesterday on how last week’s attack on Governor Rochas Okorocha’s convoy was allegedly plotted by chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The chieftains allegedly vowed to embarrass the governor ahead of the rescheduled House of Assembly election for Oguta Constituency.

    It was gathered that the ambush of the governor’s convoy was part of plans to discourage Okorocha from visiting Oguta to rally support for the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate before the June 29 election.

    A source said the scuffle between Okorocha’s convoy and the supporters of the PDP candidate, Eugene Dibiagwu, was arranged by PDP chieftains, who want to whittle down the governor’s support for APGA candidate.

    The attack took place in Awa community, Oguta Local Government Area, when the governor was inspecting the 15-kilometre road.

    The source alleged that the PDP chieftains, including a senator and former governor, mandated Dibiagwu, to “confront” Okorocha, whenever he visit Oguta.

    Another source said the attack may not be unconnected with the meeting convened by the senator in his Abuja home after the last Supreme Court ruling.

    The senator was said to have boasted that as long as Okorocha remains committed to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Presidency would continue to unleash its security agencies, especially the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission ( ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on his administration and state officials.

    But Dibiagwu debunked the allegation, insisting that he never ambushed the governor’s convoy.

    He said: “What happened was an accident. The victim, Ukemezie Ejike, is still in the hospital.

    “I don’t have the capacity to attack or ambush the governor’s convoy and moreover as a former lawmaker, I know the implications of such act.

    “It was an accident involving the outrider and one okada rider in my campaign train.”

     

  • Heavyweights up against Okorocha

    Heavyweights up against Okorocha

    The scenario that played out in the 2011 governorship election in Imo State may be reenacted if the current political realities in the South East state are anything to go by, reports Remi Adelowo 

    From all indications, the 2015 governorship election in Imo State promises to be a keenly contested race.

    At the last count, over 10 aspirants, considered as heavyweights in the politics of the state, are currently oiling their machinery to challenge the incumbent governor, Rochas Okorocha, who is likely to contest for another term in office.

    In spite of the fact that Okorocha is perceived by many Imolites as having justified his mandate so far, those angling for his job are not perturbed that they can still pull the chestnut out of the fire by trouncing Okorocha at the polls.

    The Nation gathered that while many of these aspirants have not come out openly to declare their ambition, a few others have been very visible at several political fora, while others have surreptitiously embarked on secret campaigns by inaugurating structures across all the wards in the state.

    Among the aspirants being mentioned within the state’s political circles include the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; Speaker of the Pan African Parliament and a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Bethel Amadi.

    Others are Senator Chris Anyanwu; Okorocha’s immediate predecessor, Ikedi Ohakim; senator representing Imo West, Hope Uzodinma; a former senator, Ifeanyi Araraume and Chief Martins Agbaso, amongst others.

    The big question being asked by political stakeholders in the state is: who among these aspirants can defeat Okorocha, who, against all odds, defeated the then incumbent governor, Ohakim?

    The race is crowded in PDP

    Ihedioha the frontrunner

    A three-term federal legislator, the political profile of this 48-year-old politician has been on the rise since he was elected into the House in 2003.

    From the Owerri zone, Ihedioha is credited with the few federal projects in the state, a factor analysts say may work in his favour at the next election.

    However, the general perception of his being arrogant and inaccessible are considered as his major weaknesses.

    Amadi also favoured

    From Owerri like Ihedioha, Amadi is also a three-term lawmaker and a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    An in-law of business mogul Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, Amadi also has the advantage of having a prominent chieftain of the party and member of the Board of Trustees, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, as his political godfather.

    A source told The Nation that what could count against Amadi is his alleged distancing from his political base and perceived nonchallant disposition to affairs of his party.

    Uzodinma yet to decide

    Having contested elections into various political offices, from governorship to the Senate in the state since 1999, Uzodinma finally succeeded in 2011 when he defeated Senator Osita Izanaso in the PDP primaries and proceeded to trounce a former governor of the state, Chief Achike Udenwa, for the Imo West senatorial seat.

    Though quite popular across the state, the unwritten zoning formula in the state may work against him, as he hails from Orlu like the incumbent governor.

    Ohakim staging a comeback

    His defeat to Okorocha in 2011 brought unexpected political reconfiguration in the state, resulting in the jettisoning of the unwritten zoning arrangement allegedly reached in 1998 by major political stakeholders in the state.

    From the Okigwe zone, the failure of Ohakim to win a second term in office, sources say, truncated the desire of the Owerri senatorial zone to produce the governor in 2015.

    The former governor, it was gathered, is banking on his structures which have remained intact even after his exit from office to enable him stage a comeback to the exalted office.

    Araraume stands a slim chance

    Once touted as a possible successor to Udenwa who ruled the state from 1999 to 2007, Araraume’s lifelong ambition, according to sources close to him, is to govern Imo.

    Currently a chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), on which platform he contested for the governorship in 2011, sources alleged that it is only a matter of time before the Okigwe-born senator returns to PDP.

    His close relationship with the Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, Chief Anthony Anenih, is one advantage many believe Araraume is banking on, not only to smoothen his return to PDP, but to clinch the party’s governorship ticket.

    Is Agbaso moving to PDP?

    Though he has denied reports that he has been fraternising with the leadership of the PDP, The Nation, however, gathered that Agbaso, whose younger brother, Jude Agbaso, was impeached as Okorocha’s deputy a few months ago, is considering joining PDP and contesting the party’s governorship ticket.

    But how he plans to achieve this objective, considering the array of aspirants in the party, remains to be seen.

    Ihenacho also interested

    A successful shipping, oil and gas magnate, Ihanacho served as the Minister of Interior under the late Umaru Yar’ Adua, but was later removed under controversial circumstances.

    From Ezeogba in Owerri North Local Government Area, unconfirmed report has it that he is weighing his options before deciding whether to throw his hat into the governorship race.

    Other aspirants in the PDP include Emma Ojinere, who though is popular among party members, but is said to lack the structures to prosecute a successful campaign. Besides this, another factor likely to count against him is the fact that he hails from the same Mbaise zone like Ihedioha and Chris Anyanwu.

    Eye on Chukwueke

    The other aspirant enjoying generous mention among PDP members in the state is Jerry Chukwueke.

    A governorship aspirant in the party in 2007, the businessman has been in a political wilderness of sorts until recently when he donated a bus to the party, a gesture many have interpreted as a subtle way to indicate his return to the mainstream of the party.

    Will Anyanwu contest the APGA ticket?

    The impending registration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with Governor Okorocha as one of the prime movers, sources pointed out, has provided an opportunity for Anyanwu to vie for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

    A two-term senator, Anyanwu proved her political worth in 2011 when she crossed over to APGA after she was denied the PDP’s senatorial ticket for Owerri zone and defeated the PDP candidate, Dr. Kema Chikwe, in the general election.

    Independent-minded and outspoken, opinions are divided in the state as to whether the senator can make history by becoming the first female governor of the state.

  • Okorocha rescues woman from mob

    A middle-aged woman was almost lynched yesterday in Owerri, Imo State capital, for allegedly breaking into a shop.

    It took the timely intervention of Governor Rochas Okorocha, who ran into the mob to rescue her.

    The governor was said to have pleaded with the mob to spare the life of the woman, who had been beaten to a pulp before his convoy ran into the tumultuous crowd.

    According to an eyewitness, the woman whose identity could not be ascertained took advantage of the sit-at-home order imposed by the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) to break into people’s shops.

    Unknown to her, the owner of one of the shops was sleeping inside the shop when she started carting goods away through the back door.

    But the shop owner, who was fast asleep, did not know that someone had broken into the shop until a neighbour drew her attention to the woman, who had almost emptied the shop.

    The source added that, “it was then that the shop owner apprehended the woman and raised an alarm that attracted passersby who descended on the woman and almost lynched her before the arrival of the governor.”

    Okorocha on sighting the crowd was said to have pulled up the convoy and came down out of curiosity and was told that the woman broke into a shop but was caught in the process.

    The source said the governor, apparently moved by pity, appealed to the shop owner and the mob to forgive the woman, adding that the governor instantly paid the woman whose shop was lifted the sum of N100, 000 and offered to start a business for the suspect.