Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha on Friday broke his silence on his speculated ambition for the 2015 general elections, saying that he is considering taking a shot at the presidency in response to persistent pressures from indigenes of the state.
Boasting that he is sure to fetch victory for the All Progressives Congress (APC) if given the party’s ticket to run, the Governor dismissed the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as an embodiment of retrogressive minds who have taken the country several years backward in growth because of poverty of visions.
“I am considering taking a shot at the presidency because the pressure is too high and I believe I have the capacity to transform our country for the better,” Okorocha declared.
The governor who spoke while interacting with newsmen at the Government House Owerri gave a graphic picture of allocations to some states from the Federation Account in the past three years and said that only N179 billion has so far accrued to Imo in sharp contrast to intimidating and unbelievable figures that accrued to such states as Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Delta and Lagos, adding that over 60 to 70 percent of the allocation to the state went into recurrent expenditure.
The governor who once more brandished the score card of his administration insisted that he had through effective and judicious utilisation of lean resources salvaged the state from its previous state of abyss. He listed some of his achievements to include massive construction of roads, general hospitals, schools, free education, regular payment of pensions and gratuities, construction of an international convention centre (ICC), employment generation, revival of ailing industries and enhancement of monthly allocation to the Imo State University.
He dismissed allegations of non-adherence to due process by his administration in the award of contracts and urged indigenes of the state to shun unwarranted criticism against his administration to enable him to move the state forward.
