Imo will be devoid of kidnapping, robbery and other menace – Okorocha

AWKA – The Imo governor-elect, Chief Anayo Rochas Okorocha, has said that he is on a short-term time mission to rescue the state, and therefore will begin the rapid transformation of the state when he is sworn in on May 29.

Mr Okorocha who stated this yesterday in Awka, Anambra State, when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor Peter Obi, said he will “ensure rapid development of the state. Imo will be a state devoid of kidnapping and robbery,” he said.

The governor-elect said his government will not serve selfish interests but would be for the general good of the state. To this end he said he was ready to continue with any good project left behind by the outgoing governor Ikedi Ohakim and would also introduce free education. “I don’t believe in abandoned property,” he said.

He observed that since his announcement as governor-elect of Imo, there had been total peace in the state, even without him doing anything. According to him, Imo will be a well-secured state devoid of all the menace that had disrupted the peace of the state.

“Whatever decision I must take while as a governor has to be such that positively touches the lives of the people and not the one that touches the lives of the few.

Mr. Okorocha acknowledged Gov Obi’s assistance towards his electoral victory and said that together they would entrench their party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Igboland.

While noting that his election was full of controversies, he said: “one thing that worked for me was that I came from the right party, the APGA party which is deeply rooted in the Igbo spirit.’’

“Igbo nation is known with APGA just like ACN is known with the southwest. I guarantee you and assure you sir, that just as we have ACN in the southwest, we shall have APGA in the southeast.’’

Okorocha, who is the president of the Nigerian Red Cross, commended Obi for his contributions to the organisation and to the victims of the Haiti earthquake.

He said his visit was to commend Obi and the National Chairman of the party for their contributions towards his success.

No quitting party

When asked if he would be gunning for the presidency of the country next, Mr. Okorocha said he would first serve Imo State before thinking of any other thing and ruled out quitting APGA for PDP like the outgoing governor did when he dumped the Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA) for the PDP. According to him APGA is more than a party and is a mass movement.

Responding, Mr. Obi said Mr Okorocha’s victory had a great significance to Igbo unity.

“I was alone and the burden of turning things around for our people was too much and I needed a push,” Mr Obi said.

“Igbo people must be together in order to be in a position to negotiate. We cannot remain as spectators but as competitors to be able to negotiate,” Mr Obi said.

He assured Okorocha of his cooperation and said that as APGA governors, they would always share ideas and consult each other whenever necessary.

He extolled the good qualities of Mr. Okorocha and expressed confidence that he would live up to expectations. Mr. Obi said he was very confident that things would be better for Igbo people with the victory of Mr. Okorocha, noting that the Igbo spirit was more in Imo than in any other part of the East.

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