Our Plans To Take Over Rivers, Akwa Ibom — Rochas

In preparation for the Rivers and Akwa Ibom states rerun governorship elections, the Imo state governor and chairman of the All Progressives Congress governors’ forum, Rochas Okorocha, has disclosed that plans are on to unseat the Peoples Democratic Party in both states.

The governor made this known in Owerri in his chat with newsmen noting that Rivers and Akwa Ibom are very strategic to the ruling APC.

The governor did not say exactly what the party’s strategies are in a bid to unseat the former ruling party but stressed that plans were on to actualize the target.

Okorocha was also reported to have said that the electorate in the two states voted overwhelmingly for the APC.

The governor said: “Rivers and Akwa Ibom States are very strategic to the APC. The electorate in the two states voted overwhelmingly for the APC but their votes were stolen by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, through various forms of electoral malpractices.

“I stand vindicated following the eventual victory of President Muhammadu Buhari during the last general election.

“I appeal to Ndigbo to avoid unnecessary bickering and antagonism with the North, West and other parts of the country, so as to brighten the prospects of a president of Igbo extraction in future.”

Further in the chat with journalists, Governor Okorocha spoke on why his administration was yet to appoint commissioners and special advisers.

The governor said it has enabled him save money for the state, for capital projects.

He explained: “If I appoint them now, they will start demanding for imprest, traveling allowance, hazard allowance and this is outside their monthly pay. This has enabled me save some money for the state, for capital projects.”

Okorocha also threw light on why all public taps in the state had dried up. He noted on that regard that he preferred sinking water boreholes for communities instead of procuring chemicals, maintaining machines and other facilities.

Meanwhile, the PDP had recently sought for the intervention of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed, on what it described as “present and imminent miscarriage of justice” with regards to Rivers state governorship election tribunal judgement.