IMO, JANUARY 30, 2017 – Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha has advised the Southeast region to stop talking about an Igbo Presidency until after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure in 2023.
Okorocha, who is the chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, spoke while addressing State House correspondents after a 30-minute closed-door meeting with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.
Okorocha, accompanied by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, was reacting to the recent call by former President Olusegun Obasanjo for an Igbo Presidency in 2019.
He said: “What I do know is that Ndigbo should talk about Presidency after President Muhammadu Buhari. I think we should support this government.
“President Muhammadu Buhari has a tenure to work for four years or eight years according to the zoning arrangement, and everybody should follow the zoning although I am not an advocate of zoning.”
Okorocha noted that efforts were towards rebuilding the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the southeast.
He said: “The APC as a party is strong in the southeast. We are trying to rebuild the party and redefine leadership. So, there will be no confusion. As to whether the APC in the southeast is in disarray as the case has always been, we want to have a united party in the southeast.
“We are hopeful from all discussions that about two governors will be joining us in the southeast to strengthen the party. Right now, we have agreed that Senator Ken Nnamani should take a lead of the party in the southeast to enable us have a common understanding, along with other leaders like Chief Jim Nwobodo.”
Reminded that some governors in the region had denied planning to join the APC, he stated: “I don’t think it is true, but if it is true, it is probably because it is not time. It could be because I spoke when they were not yet ready.”
