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Tag: Rochas Okorocha

  • “Nothing like Coalition group in Imo APC” – Okorocha

    Imo state Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has described as faceless those claiming to be a Coalition group within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

    The Imo governor in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, described  those claiming to be ‘Coalition of Imo APC’  as “food is ready politicians” insisting that there is only one party in the state with him as the leader.

    Okorocha who was reacting to a recent publication by a group known as the Coalition of Imo APC, which gave the governor a 21-day ultimatum to reverse his support for his Chief of Staff, Chief Uche Nwosu for governor in 2019, noted that none of the Coalition members won his booth in the last elections.

    He described them as “attention-seeking and little-minded politicians, paid to disturb the peace of APC in the State”
    The Governor, further reiterated his support for Nwosu vowing that he will win the governorship election in the state.

    According to him, “and for their information, Uche Nwosu will win the ticket of the Party and win the election proper in 2019. If the Coalition has the Capacity, let them file behind a Candidate and let’s see how far they can go. Why are they bothered about Uche Nwosu’s aspiration? They have read the hand-writing on the wall and have discovered that the young man is the Candidate to beat. They are worried because Uche Nwosu is the man.

    Governor Okorocha continued that, “these are people terribly envious of the general and popular acceptance, the young Nwosu’s aspiration has garned across the political parties and political zones in the state, even several months to the election proper. And the youths are seeing the Uche Nwosu Project as their own, and they are on the same page with women, and of course with men who love progress.

    “There are more than ten registered political parties and about thirty-four governorship aspirants in the state. Let them take one of the political parties and throw their light political weight behind one of the aspirants and work for his victory if they can do that. But the truth is that these are internet politicians who cannot remember when they visited their wards last. They hold their scanty meetings at a roadside restaurant.

    “Their problem is that, of all the aspirants in APC and of all the aspirants in other Parties in the State, none can defeat Uche Nwosu. That is their headache” Okorocha”.

  • BBNaija: Okorocha congratulates Miracle

    Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo has described Miracle Igbokwe, winner of Big Brother Naija Double Wahala edition, as a good ambassador of the state.

    Miracle was on Sunday announced winner of Nigeria’s biggest reality TV show.

    He emerged the overall best with over 38 per cent of the 30 million votes cast in the grande finale.

    Okorocha said that state would celebrate him for representing it well.

    He also commended the organisers of the programme for initiating a good a youth-oriented programme.

    Miracle’s total prize included N25 million cash, a Sub-Urban Vehicle (SUV) worth N12 million and a trip for two valued N4.7 million, Television and other electronic items worth N3.3 million.

    BBNaija, which is hosted in South Africa, started on Jan. 28, with 20 housemates who were gradually evicted with only five housemates going into the final.

    Miracle beat Cee-c, Tobi, Alex and Nina to clinch the prize.

    NAN

  • Only God, not Okorocha can determine my political future – Araraume

    Sen. Ifeanyi Araraume says his political future can only be determined by God and not by Gov. Rochas Okorocha.

    Araraume, one of the front-line governorship aspirants in Imo, on the platform of All Progressives Congress ( APC ), was reacting to a resent claim by Okorocha that he would retire him from politics next year.

    In a statement signed by his media aide, Mr Ikechukwu Ogbenna, said he was more grounded politician than Okorocha, adding that he was relying on God and the people to achieve his dream.

    It would be recalled that Okorocha in his recent claim, said he had retired former governor of Imo Mr Achike Udenwa, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyawu, and Sen Arthur Nzeribe from active politics.

    The governor also said that he would retire Sen. Ifeanyi Araraume in 2019.

    Araraume said he is busy assisting APC to strengthen its structures in Imo and advised Okorocha to invest his time on issues that were meaningful to an average Imo person.

    NAN

  • 2019: Nwosu will win, Okorocha assures APC supporters

    …I have retired all godfathers

    Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, has assured the supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that his Chief of Staff, Uche Nwosu has what it takes to win the 2019 governorship election.

    The Imo governor disclosed that his support for Nwosu’s governorship ambition is not for any personal gain but but the conviction that he will make a good governor, judging by his acceptability, which he said cuts across the three zones of the state.

    Okorocha who spoke when political leaders, women and youth groups, as well as traditional rulers came to endorse Nwosu at the Government House, said that he would want to hand over to a governor that will discriminate against any zone but will see the entire state as one deserving of equal attention.

    He assured that Nwosu will win the 2019 governorship election,  irrespective of the objections of the political ‘bigwigs’,  adding that the power to elect a governor resides with the people and not few political elites and godfathers, adding that,  “I have no doubt that Nwosu will win the governorship election considering his pedigree and humble background” .

    According to the governor, “Nwosu has learnt the ropes and is better qualified than any other aspirant. Nwosu is the least of the political children I have trained but I don’t know any of them as much as I have known Nwosu, I took him up when he was just nobody and he  grew to the height he is now, his only sin is that he is my son-in-law, how about the Njemanze’s, the Bishops from Egbu, they occupy every position in Egbu without considering who and where they came from”

    He continued that,  “Nwosu will win in 2019, don’t be afraid , I am there, I have retired the Arthur Nzeribes, the Udenwas, now I will retire the rest of them finally, I know them and they know me, their plan is to push me so that they can get the Senate, it’s a lie, i will run for the Senate as well”.

    Speaking on President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration for a second term, Governor Okorocha assured that “he will win again, just like he did in 2015”.

    He said,  “Buhari will win again and again, after Buhari, the turn will come to South East and it will be the turn of Okorocha”

  • I won my elections without support of ‘big names’ – Okorocha

    Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, on Saturday said that none of the big names in Imo state Politics supported his governorship aspiration in 2011 and in 2015 respectively.

    He said he won the elections without the backing of any of the big men the state.

    The Imo governor also disclosed that he contested and won both elections not on the basis of zoning or support of godfathers but on the premise of what Imo people believed he could do with the position.

    Okorocha spoke weekend, when the leaders of Ideato South Local Government visited him at the Government House Owerri, to assure him of their loyalty.

    They said that they would follow any political direction he takes in 2019, Stating that the governor is the “pivot on which their own Political interest rotates”.

    According to the governor, “when I came in 2011 and decided to run for the governorship election on the platform of APGA, there was nothing on ground and the State Chairman of the Party was more than 75 years old an indication that people were not keen in the Party”.

    He Continued, “In 2011 Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Chief Arthur Nzeribe, Dr. Mrs. Kema Chikwe, Chief Hope Uzodinma, Chief Achike Udenwa, Emeka Ihedioha, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, Senator Ifeanyi Araraume were either in PDP or ACN. None of them was in APGA, but I confronted them and God gave us Victory over them and we defeated an incumbent”.

    He stated further “the Political battle in 2011 and 2015 was all mine and my God and the poor masses of Imo State. Yet, God gave us victory over them. When I visited late Chief  Odimegwu Ojukwu, I excepted that he would come and raise my hand as the candidate of the party, but he could not do so because he fell sick before the time. Only God raised my hand and we won”.

    He Continued “When I also told my people, about my intention to vie for the Seat of governor, most of them were saying that it was not the turn of Orlu Zone. But I told them that my case was different. And since I became governor, I have never segregated against Owerri, Orlu or Okigwe zone. Infact, I have worked in Owerri much more than any of my predecessors had done and no Owerri indigene has done what I have done in Owerri”.

    His words, “don’t also forget that in 2015, all influential politicians in the State increased in number and they were all in PDP. They were backed with Federal might, with all the security agencies and INEC working for them. Yet, here we are today,

    “In 2019 it will be easier. We are more now. Your unity as it is now shows that we are ready for the 2019 elections. My advice is that you must strive to remain united because any crack can allow enemies or detractors into the fold. I assure you that Victory will surely be ours as long as we are standing on God’s side,

    “Zoning to them, is that Political manipulative tendency which allows the opportunist cabal to remain in Power at the detriment of the ordinary masses. So, let no one deceive you. Please remain focused and united on this course”.

    On Uche Nwosu, the governor said his endorsement is a step in the right direction, and assured that he will never disappoint Imo people, adding that he will do well as governor.

  • Buhari’s declaration will silence the opposition, says Okorocha

    The Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo state,  Rochas Okorocha has said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration for second term will silence the ‘noise’ of the opposition parties.

    Okorocha also described the President’s declaration as a “patriotic response to the clarion call of Nigerians of goodwill on him to lead the country for another four years”.

    He prided that the All Progressives Congress (APC) does not owe any apologies for its first four years under the Presidency of Buhari, unlike the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that looted the country for sixteen years only to apologize.

    The governor in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, also noted that, “the declaration of the President to go for Second tenure would also go a long way to reduce the noise of the opposition and take care of the idiosyncrasies of certain elements in the system”.

    He observed that the President has done well to deserve a second tenure, adding that “those who had wanted to blackmail him out of going for another term can now find other meaningful things to keep themselves busy”

    The governor expressed optimism that the President “would largely garner more votes in 2019 than he had done in 2015 because most Nigerians, including people of the Southeast have seen that he meant well for the nation and the citizenry”.

    Okorocha added further that “the APC has no apology to make because it has done wonderfully well considering the magnitude of the rot it met on ground in 2015”.

    He also noted that “the antenna of the opposition in the Country will finally be lowered when the campaigns begin and the Party will be showing Nigerians its achievements in the states under its control and at the Federal level”.

    According to the Imo governor, “when a political party had admitted that the government it ran was a huge failure and then apologized, such scenario goes with restitution and not with reward”.

    He urged APC members across the nation to close ranks for the victory of the party at all levels in 2019.

    Read Also: Okorocha to Araraume: I won’t let you destroy APC

  • We’re on same page with Buhari—APC governors insist

    Governors of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) on Wednesday dismissed media reports that there was disagreement between them and President Muhammadu Buhari over tenure elongation for the APC national and state executives.

    Gov. Abdul-aziz Yari of Zamfara stated this when he briefed State House correspondents alongside Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo on the outcome of the meeting between the APC governors and the president in Abuja, on Tuesday.

    He said that all the 24 governors of the APC were on the same page with President Buhari over the issue of the national leadership of the party.

     “We have seen so many captions that there is disagreement between the governors over the issue of our party Chairman or about the party leadership.

    “No, we had a meeting with Mr. President yesterday ( Tuesday ), and we extended the meeting tonight and we followed up with consultations with the President now.

    “We consulted and all the 24 governors of the APC are in the same page with Mr President that we are going to respect our party constitution; we are going to respect the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’’

    According to Yari, the governors have collectively agreed that there should be congresses at local, state and national levels.

    He revealed that the committee set up by the National Secretariat of the party headed by Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau would be presenting its report later today.

    `The governors are also meeting with the working committee today so that we come up with convention committee names as well as a timetable for the election.’’

    Read Also: APC governors meet Buhari again in Aso Rock

    “So, there is no deadlock in our meeting, we have progressed and very soon you will have the names of the convention committee members; as well as the timetable.’’

    Gov. Okorocha on his part said, “I just want to let you know that there is no crisis in the APC at all and we want to use this opportunity to advise the media to stop spreading rumours of crisis in APC. There is no single crisis in APC.’’

    “But let me correct one impression, the issue of congress and convention does not mean that the previous people who have served the party have done badly.

    “And it does not mean that they cannot come back or that they cannot re-contest, that is not it.

    “We are simply saying that their tenure has ended and those who wish to re-contest can re-contest and can be elected into our party structure.

    “So, we are all one as family and we are set to go for 2019 elections in victory.’’

    NAN

  • UPDATED: No crisis in APC – Governors

    The Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum ( NGF ), Abdulaziz Yari, said on Wednesday there is no crisis in the All Progressives Congress ( APC ).

    There were claims the governors are divided on the tenure elongation for the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and other members of the party’s National Executive Committee ( NE C).

    The Zamfara State governor told State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday that there was no deadlock on the matter.

    He was accompanied to the briefing by Governors Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Abdullahi Gamduje (Kano) and Simon Lalong (Plateau).

    APC Governors with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Villa
    APC Governors with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House

    Yari said: “Gentlemen of the press, you know yesterday (Tuesday) we left you in the dark after the meeting and today we have seen so many captions that there is disagreement between the governors over the issue of party chairman or about the party leadership.

    “No. We had a meeting with Mr. President yesterday (Tuesday), and we extended the meeting till night and we followed up with the consultations with the President now.

    “We consulted and all the 24 governors of the APC are on the same page with Mr. President that we are going to respect our party constitution. We are going to respect the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So therefore, we collectively agreed that we will have congresses at all levels – local, state and national.

    “And the committee set up by the National Secretariat of our party headed by governor of Plateau State is presenting its report later today. The governors are also meeting with the working committee today so that we come up with convention committee names as well as timetable of the election.

    “So, there is no deadlock in our meeting. We have progressed and very soon you will have the names of the convention committee members as well as the timetable.”

    Okorocha added: “I just want to let you know that there is no crisis in the APC at all. And we want to use this opportunity to advise the media operatives to stop spreading rumours of crisis in APC. There is no single crisis in APC.

    “The issue was one of people who believe that we did not have enough time to organize a party congress and run election. Some people felt that it was a good idea but the most important thing is that, if we do that we will be contravening both our party constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That is the major issue that we have that they call crisis. We do not have virus.

    “This morning we met with Mr. President to fine-tune issues, one regarding the congress and we have resolved that the congresses at all levels and the chairman of the elongation committee, is also fine-tuning the arrangement in the same line. To this effect, the convention committee will be set out, it will be announced.

    “But let me correct one impression, the issue of congress and convention does not mean that the previous people who have served the party have done badly. And it does not mean that they cannot come back or that they cannot re-contest, that is not it. We are simply saying that their tenure has ended and those who wish to re-contest can re-contest and can be elected into our party structure. So we are all one as family and we are set to go for 2019 elections in victory.”

  • 2019: APC Governors to meet President Buhari

    State Governors of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) are billed to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari in their bid to pressure the president to seek re-election in 2019.

    The News men gathered that the meeting which has been fixed for 2.p.m., may also deliberate on some national and party issues including the President’s disapproval of tenure elongation for APC national executives.

    It would be recalled that the governors had on Feb. 22 met behind closed doors, after which the President pledged to address the nation on whether he will seek re-election in 2019.

    The Chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum, Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo, who spoke to State House correspondents on the outcome of the February meeting, said the president was to address the caucus of the APC on the matter.

    Read Also: APC leadership: ‘Buhari’s position lawful’

    “We discussed so many issues that affect the nation, our party and Mr President’s ambition to run for 2019 elections.

    “Anyhow, Mr President in his usual manner has requested that we give him time and that he will address the nation and the caucus of the party very soon.

    “So we should be full of expectations that Mr President will make officially known to Nigerians his intentions.

    “But we hope that his response will be in line with what the governors are thinking,’’ Okorocha said after the February meeting.

    NAN

  • Rally round APGA in Imo, says forum

    The national co-ordinator of APGA Media Warriors Forum, Chinedu Obigwe, has urged residents of Imo State to support the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to produce Governor Rochas Okorocha’s successor.

    Obigwe, in a statement, faulted Okorocha for declaring war on Bishop Anthony Obinna, of the Owerri Catholic Diocese.

    He described Obinna as a worthy father always speaking out against atrocities.

    “No reasonable father will sit at home and watch a she goat deliver in tethers. Okorocha cannot stop APGA from taking over Imo State.

    ‘’Okorocha should prepare his handover note because no reasonable electorate in Imo State will vote for his anointed son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, in 2019.

    ‘’A vote against APC in Imo State is a vote for wiping away of the shame Rochas brought upon Imolites.

    ‘’Bishop Obinna is not a card-carrying member of APGA but  he is only exercising his constitutional right to freedom of expression and the insinuation by Rochas Okorocha that he is plotting to install APGA governor in Imo State is an admittance of the looming defeat of his party and son-in-law in 2019.

    ‘’Imolites should not rest until the deceitful government of Rochas Okorocha is stopped from turning Imo State into his family business empire. The electorate should rally round APGA for the salvation of Imo State.

    ‘’Rochas is only hoping  on using federal might to install his son-in-law. If this is allowed to happen, Imolites will regret. The task of rescuing Imolites from Okorocha is a patriotic task that must be accomplished for the betterment of Igbo land.”