Okorocha Declares Presidential Interest Monday, Flaunts Credentials

By Gideon Njoku

A former two-time Governor of Imo State, and now, the Senator representing Imo West Senatorial District, Rochas Okorocha, will on Monday, January 31, 2022, declare his intention to run for the office of Nigeria’s President come 2023.

Okorocha gave the hint last week at the Senate during Plenary in a letter to the President of the Senate, Dr Ahmed Lawan, where he expressed his intention to run for the office. The letter was read by Lawan at Plenary.

Okorocha will do so at, according to him, a World Press Conference in Abuja. A perennial Presidential aspirant, this will be Okorocha’s fourth trial.

The former Governor will run under the All Progressives Congress, APC, a party which foundation member he is. He is aspiring to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.

But he enters the race as an orphan, almost.

This is because he does not have the backing of the Governor of his State, Senator Hope Uzodinma. And does not have the support of the faction of the APC in Imo State recognised by the National Working Committee, NWC.

In addition, not many people in the State take his aspiration seriously. They feel he will be one of the “also-ran.” But Okorocha is not deterred, at all.

He is brimming with confidence, a confidence boosted by his war chest. He says he is richer than the Imo State Government.

One of the things he would flaunt as he declares his aspiration is his report card as Imo Governor.

Yet, not a few people think that will be his nemesis. They are waiting to interrogate him on his stewardship in the State, a stewardship that attracted investigations by the succeeding Government.

The APC has not, officially, zoned the Presidential ticket to the South. But a number of Southern APC chieftains are taking that for granted. For now in the APC, former Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, is the frontrunner. And even though Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, has declared interest, his declaration has made a zero-impact so far. There are others in the South, allegedly, waiting in the wings.

There is the urbane Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who, even though he has not declared interest, is attracting more than a passing interest. There is, also, strong speculations that both Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi and Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, are equally interested.