By Helen Udoh-Abuja.
A former Governor of Imo State and Senator representing Imo West, Senator Rochas Okorocha said that the ruling All Progressives Party (APC) would
Become Northern Party If Presidency Is Zoned To The North .
He urged the South-East region to present a good reason the nation should have an Igbo man as the next President in 2023.
He made this Known at an interactive session organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, tagged: “Conversation with Owelle Rochas Okorocha at 59 and Award of Icon of Service and Philanthropy on Monday in Abuja.
“There is no justifiable reason for APC to zone the presidency away from the South if not the South-east.” He said.
“It started with South-west and President Olusegun Obasanjo was elected then it went to the North and we had Yar’Adua,It went back to the South with Goodluck Jonathan, and now the North is having it with the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari, He Noted.
“So, it is fair that this understanding should not be broken, that will be dangerous and it will polarise the party,it will sound like a Northern People’s Party, Okorochas Stated.
“I know what I suffered when I joined the APC because I believed that the Igbo should be in mainstream politics and it will be unfortunate for the party to treat the region like that.”, He Stressed.
About presidency in 2023: “I have run for presidency three times, I even ran against late Yau’Adua and I came second, He said.
“I don’t have ambition to be president, I have a vision to be president and that is what drives me,that is why i am different from other aspirants.”He Revealed.
“Let’s try an Igbo man and see what it will be like and even argue that with the enterprising nature of the Igbo they can do better than, He noted.
“When IPOB started, they came to Imo state when I was the governor, i told the Police and other security agents not to shoot at them but to go with them during the protests,After a while they were tired and ready dialogue and i listened to them and understood their grievances, Rochas informed.
”They asked me to join them, and I told them they can convince me why I should have another passport, Biafra passport, I will join. I could have asked my men to shoot them as they were killed in Okigwe and other states, but no,
i had to listen to know what they were going through and this is what the federal government should do,He said.
“It is an evil wind that won’t blow anyone good. Nigerian government needs to sympathise with the youth and address their grievances,if we can dialogue we will find out that it is not worth the trouble,Let’s bring all the agitators for dialogue, He said.
“That is how the Nigerian government should treat the youths, sympathise with them. Treat them well,” Okorocha said.
