Imo People Reject Okorocha’s Presidential Bid, Express Disappointment With Imo PDP, APGA

Former governor of Imo State, Senator Rochas Okorocha, yesterday made his intentions to contest for the presidential seat known to Nigerians.

This is coming as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, have dragged him to court over ₦2.9billion fraud charges.

CrudePen decided to take a stroll around the state where Okorocha once held sway as governor, to randomly hear what the people he once governed have to say about his presidential ambition.

Nnamdi, a second hand clothes seller at Eke Ukwu had this to tell CrudePen correspondent, “Okorocha should perish that idea. That man is the worst thing to ever happen to Imo State. Before now, I had a big shop. I wasn’t here selling on the roadside as you are seeing me today. I lost millions when he destroyed Eke Ukwu. I’m not alone. The man rendered so many people useless. Do you know how many people died because he destroyed their source of livelihood? I’m not even talking about that innocent child he killed. And there was a court order barring him from destroying the market and he disobeyed it. Is that the kind of person you want to rule Nigeria? A man who does not obey the law? A man who feels that he is above the law? You people should go and tell him to perish that idea.”

When asked about what he feels about the reaction of opposition parties in the state to the development, he said, “I am particularly disappointed in PDP and APGA. How can they keep quiet and even support this man? This is a clear indication that we are not the same with this people. Anyi na ndi’a akwuhu. Their only interest is politics and how to get power. So because Okorocha and Hope Uzodinma are not friends, they have forgiven Rochas for all the evil he did to Imo people? We are even hearing that Rochas is going to join Ihedioha in PDP. Maybe that is why they are now quiet. And somebody will come tomorrow to tell me rubbish. They are all the same. None of them are saints. So because Rochas is now working with them, everything he did to us is now forgotten?”

Ngozi, a civil servant CrudePen met up with had this to say, “No right thinking civil servant in Imo State will support Rochas Okorocha’s presidency. Are you a newcomer to this state? Have you forgotten what he put us through in this state? This man slashed our salaries. This man never paid us our entitlements, even owed us for months. Even when bailout came for us, we didn’t see the money. What did he do with the money given to us? He hasn’t told us and he wants to become president so he can do what he did to Imo workers at a larger scale. Just imagine with all Gov. Hope Uzodinma is going through in his (Okorocha’s) hands, he still pays us as timely as possible and for the first time in the history of this state, we got 100% 13th month salary. Rochas destroyed the civil service in Imo State. Give him Nigeria and he will destroy the country.”

On the opposition she said, “To say I am not disappointed would be telling a lie. I expected a press release from the PDP most especially. They had always been on Okorocha’s matter for years but their silence is shocking and makes us wonder if their interest want just for the sake of power, and not really for the good of Imo people. We are still reeling in shock when we saw that Rochas Okorocha and Ihedioha video dancing and enjoying together. Emeka really disappointed many of us with that action. If they are now working together then I’m not surprised that they are silent.”

Chimankpa, a special citizen who spoke with CrudePen correspondent had this to say, “God forbid. You can imagine Rochas, a fellow disabled like us, yet had no single compassion for us. Severally we protested yet he didn’t care whether we lived or died unlike those before him and those after him.”

Chimankpa didn’t have complimentary words for the opposition in the state as he expressed his disappointment over the silence of the Imo State opposition.

Mrs Anyanwu, retired teacher our correspondent met, had the following to say, “How can any pensioner in Imo State support the aspirations of the same man that once asked us why we were still alive? After giving 35 years of my life to this state, that boy, because he found himself in power, had the audacity to withhold my pension for eight years. It will not be well with whatever aspirations he ventures into mark my words. He made us, his father’s and mother’s age mates to beg him for our money, to beg him to stay alive after giving our best years to this state. God is watching him. He will certainly pay for what he did to us. I know many of us who died because of this man. People who gave everything the had for the Imo State he and his family members took as their private property and pillaged as they liked. Many of them died without getting what is due to them. It is shocking that some of our foolish youths are being fooled by this fraud. The worst politician in the history of this country. If we make the mistake of giving him power as president of Nigeria, then Federal pensioners will get ready to taste what we saw in Imo State. Police retirees, military retirees, everybody will join us to cry.”

On the silence of opposition parties, she said, “Ihedioha did us well. He normalised everything. I’m still not happy with Uzodinma for not following what Ihedioha did to the letter because today, there are many pensioners who have not gotten their pensions. However when I heard that Ihedioha is now considering adopting Okorocha’s son-in-law as his running mate, I felt so disappointed with him. If he could sink that low, then he has failed the people. Now wonder they are not telling the world what Rochas did to us and why nobody should ever take him seriously.”

Mr. Akobundu had this to tell CrudePen, “It is very pathetic that the man has no shame. Against my better judgement, I listened to all the lies he dished out to those he can fool yesterday. Rochas talked about roads. Which roads? Is there a single road built by Rochas that was motorable by the time he handed over? At a time he told fools that acid rain was destroying roads he built. Why haven’t the same acid rains destroyed the ones Uzodinma built? Sometimes I think this man has told so many lies that he now believes his lies. That’s a form or madness. It’s a serious mental health issue. Such a person is very dangerous for a country like Nigeria. Such a person should never have held power at all. I thank God he ruled Imo and opened our eyes. Had this man ruled Nigeria then, we would have long been at war and divided. We are struggling to stay together as it is, with Rochas Okorocha as president, bye bye Nigeria.”

Speaking on the opposition, “I remember in that past when the PDP boys cannot wait to tell the world the kind of evil Rochas Okorocha is. Suddenly we saw him dancing with Ihedioha and PDP is silent. Politicians! They are all the same. You cannot take any of them seriously. Why is Rochas attacking Hope Uzodinma? Is it not because of the probe panels Ihedioha set up? So why is Ihedioha not happy that his panels are working? Suddenly he is ready to forgive Rochas Okorocha because he is no longer in power and needs Okorocha to take him back to power. If he was hoping on that, he has failed. PDP better come out now and continue telling Nigerians about Rochas before they make the same mistake Imo people made. If they think their only concern is Imo State, if Rochas Okorocha gets his hands on Nigeria, then that their selfishness will be for nothing. The problem we the people have always suffered from is the selfish interest of politicains. For momentary power, they sell their conscience only to regret it later, and drag us down with them.”

Across the state, the reactions were the same. Not a single person of the over forty randomly engaged people we met on the road, had any support to give the former governor as he warms up to ask for the trust of Nigerians.

Is this a good sign or a bad omen for the Orlu zone Senator, when he doesn’t have the home support?