From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha said yesterday Ndigbo should wait till 2023 to actualise the dream of Presidency. He was probably reacting to a call by former President Olusegun Obasanjo urging Ndigbo to give it a shot in 2019.
Governor Okorocha’s comments came two days after South-East leaders backed President Muhammadu Buhari for another four years in office.
According to the governor, even though he is not in support of zoning, nevertheless, the Presidency has been zoned, to the North for two terms of eight years, hence, the Igbos should wait till 2023.
Speaking to State House correspondents after meeting with Acting President Yemi Osinbajo in company with the Speaker of House of Representative, Yakubu Dogara, in Abuja, he assured that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was strong in the South-East.
The governor said: “What I do know is that Ndi Igbo should talk about Presidency after President Muhammadu Buhari. I think we should support this government. President 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”.
On the party’s strength in the South-East, Okorocha said, “The APC as a party is strong in the South-East. We are trying to rebuild the party and redefine leadership so there will be no confusion. As to whether the APC in the South-East is in disarray as the case has always been, we want to have a united party in the South-East.
“We are hopeful from all discussions that about two governors will be joining us in the South-East to strengthen the party. Right now, we have agreed that Sen Ken Nnamani should lead the party in the South-East to enable us have a common understanding, with other leaders like Chief Jim Nwobodo,” he said.
On the denial that three governors would decamp to APC, Okorocha said he must have spoken too soon on their behalf, stating that the governors would join the ruling party. He said, “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”.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader, Ahmed Lawan, also met with Osinbajo behind closed doors, yesterday.
Lawan told newsmen that he briefed Osinbajo on what the Senate was doing on the Appropriation Bill 2017.
“You know we have suspended plenaries for three weeks. The idea is to have ample time to focus on the Appropriation Bill. The committees will start to work from this week inviting the Ministries Department and Agencies (MDAs) on the budget defence that they need to do.
“Secondly, as a new Senate Leader, it is also important that I come to this office to tell the Acting President and our administration that the APC caucus in the Senate is now united. We are ready as a caucus to support our administration; we are also ready as a Senate, that is both the APC and the minority parties, to work for the betterment of Nigerians. Our colleagues in the opposition have always been supportive and being there for the Senate to function”, he said.
– The Sun
