Senator Rochas Okorocha, former governor of Imo State, has officially declared his intention to contest the 2023 presidency, with a promise to sustain Nigeria’s unity and ensure development.
Okorocha, while declaring his intention to run on Monday in Abuja, said Nigeria needed a leader that could unite the people more and give everyone a sense of belonging, adding that he was the best man for the job.
Okorocha had contested the country’s presidency in 2003, 2007 and 2015 and currently represents Imo West Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The former Imo governor said he had the ability and capacity to forge more unity among Nigerians, haven built schools for the less privileged with investments across the country’s geopolitical zones.
“Nigeria needs a compassionate leader that will listen to the needy, a leader that can give everyone a sense of belonging. If I say I will make Nigeria more united, believe me, I will do so,” he said.
He challenged other presidential aspirants to show proof of their ability to uphold the unity of Nigeria like he did over the years.
“I challenge all those who want to become president of this country to show what they have done in unifying the nation.
” My signature is in all parts of Nigeria. I am not from Sokoto State, but my signature is in the state.
“I am not from Zaria, my signature is in Zaria. I am not from Kano State, my signature is in Kano. I am not from North Central, my signature is in Jos.
“I am not from North-East, my signature is in Adamawa and Bauchi. I’m not from South-West, but my signature is in Ibadan, Oyo State.
“I am not from South-South, my signature is in Cross River. If I tell Nigerians I will unite this country more, believe me, I can do that,” he said.
He added that though blessed with six biological children, he is a proud father of 25,000 children, whom he adopted and trained in his various schools spread across the country without knowing where they came from.
Okorocha said most of the children “are Fulani, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo and Efik.
“I have trained more than 5,000 Fulani children, 6,000 Yoruba and more than 10, 000 Igbo. I don’t know them. I don’t know their background, what connects us is poverty, because I am once a child of poverty.
“Where poverty persists, ethnicity thrives, where poverty persists, blames become the order of the day. Nigerians are not enemies to one another,” he said.
On zoning and rotation of the presidency to a particular zone in the country, Okorocha said he was not a candidate of rotation nor zoning, adding that he was a candidate of justice.
He, however, said there was need for the South-East or the South to properly present their desire to have the presidency zoned to the region, before other Nigerians.
He said unity of the country should be emphasised rather than zoning, adding that for the sake of justice and equity, the Igbo deserved to produce the country’s next president in 2023.
He charged Nigerians of Igbo extraction to note that power was not given but taken, and appealed to the APC national leadership to ensure a level playing ground for all aspirants.
“I am qualified to run more than anybody who cares to run.
“I appeal to my party, the APC, to allow a level playing ground and Igbo must understand that power is not given, it is taken,” Okorocha said.
