Former Imo state governor and the Senator representing Imo West district in the national assembly, Rochas Okorocha, on Thursday said the notion of ‘Igbo presidency’ does not exist as it is impossible to hand over power to a region without due process.
According to Okorocha, the the term ‘Igbo presidency’ is a misconception.
The controversial politician who spoke to newsmen shortly after he was sworn-in by Senate president Ahmed Lawan, said he is more concerned about having a president that will improve the life of Nigerians, irrespective of ethnic affiliation.
Okorocha said, “Power is not given, power is taken,” “The South East cannot just fold their arms and expect power to be given to them just because you want power. Power does not go with sentiment some of the times, it’s on issues on ground.
“Democracy is about the people and the South East alone cannot make themselves president. So you cannot be talking about Igbo presidency, it doesn’t exist. We may be talking about Nigeria’s president of Igbo extraction but that depends on what other geopolitical zones think about the issue.
“For me, what is important is let power be given to somebody who has something upstairs who can put food on the table of common man, irrespective of religion or where you come from.”
“There is need for the Igbos to mend fences. We are neither here nor there now politically. We are not in the ruling party, neither are we making impact in the opposition. So, there is need for us to get married to the rest of the nation politically.”
The immediate past governor of Imo state said he is in the Senate to to bridge the gap between the south east and other ethnic groups, find ways to stop the killing of Nigerians and the possibility of making free education a reality for poor Nigerian children.
“I am here to do things dear to my heart. One of them is: the bridge connecting the south east to other ethnic groups seems to be very faulty, resulting from the politics we have played in the south east. It will be my pleasure to reconnect this bridge so that the south east people will move along at the same pace with other geopolitical zones.
“My second mission (at) the National Assembly is to see the possibility of making free education a reality so that the children of the poor can go to school. If I achieve these, I will be glad that I did, as member of the senate.
“The third one is, I am concerned about the killings and destruction of lives in the northern part of this country. Whatever we can do on the floor of the Senate, we will to have the executive curb this insurgence. I will be here and happy to work with my colleagues.”
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