Okorocha: APC Should Stand Firm in Zoning Presidency to South-east

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

Following the decision of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to throw its presidential ticket open, the former Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, has called on  the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to stand firm in micro-zoning its presidential ticket to the South-east for equity, justice and fairness.

Okorocha, who represents Imo West in the Senate, said  the leadership of the party must be bold enough to come out on the issue of zoning.

The party chieftain, who disclosed this in an interview with THISDAY yesterday in Abuja, urged the leadership of the party to make reconciliation of aggrieved party members a matter of priority.

The lawmaker added that the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC) must also come up with a well mapped out programme for the party primaries so that everyone would believe that the intention of the party was to have free and fair elections.

Okorocha stated: “The leadership must be bold enough to call a spade a spade on the issue of zoning, so as to not allow people gallivanting about and at the end you will tell them to step down. They should be bold enough to talk on the issue of zoning. I think with this in mind we will be cruising as a party.

“APC presidential ticket should go South for equity, justice and fairness and to give everyone a sense of belonging.

“Secondly, even in the South, there is a need for micro-zoning like it was done in the days of Olu Falae and President Olusegun Obasanjo. They should look at the South-east and micro-zone it to the South-east to complete this long awaited cycle for justice and peace.

“Maybe after four years or after eight years, you might now say okay the cycle is completed. Now, it is an open game for all. But as long as that cycle is not completed, it might be hurting the nation from time to time because something is wrong.”

Okorocha was of the opinion that the ruling party should be able to stand firm in doing this against whoever that might feel bad and be able to persuade them to see the reasons.

He emphasised that at a time zoning was about to complete, the only zone that has never produced a presidency from the South is the South-east.

Asked what his next line of action would be if the party decided to go for consensus arrangement and he wasn’t favoured, the lawmaker said he must be given cogent reasons why he should step down.

Okorocha pointed out that what happened during the national convention of the party was not consensus but respect for President Muhammadu Buhari.

He added: “Consensus means total agreement, but what you saw happened in the last national convention was not actually a consensus. It was a display of respect for the person of President Muhammadu Buhari and the love of one’s party. Because most people left pained and aggrieved, but they say because of Buhari I subsumed my ambition.”

The party chieftain said that was why the party should return the money paid by all contestants who subsumed their aspirants for the President.

Okorocha added: “But that is quite a different thing when it comes to the issue of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.  In the case of convention, consensus in the party starts and finishes with the party. But in the place of the presidential primary, it goes beyond the party. It takes the whole nation. So, it is not just your party that is voting, but the entire Nigeria will decide as to who becomes the president.

“So, talking about myself for instance if I’m contacted by anybody, first and foremost, consensus is not an order, it is a persuasive thing. Probably, I need to hear from the party to say Rochas, you are not saleable in the northern part of this country, they will not vote for you, for that reason can you step down? Or Rochas, you didn’t do well as a governor, for that reason step down…because the party wants to win, you have to say the reasons.”

The lawmaker stressed that if the party knows that he’s saleable and the masses love him, he wondered why the party would ask his best to step down.

Okorocha said what was standing between him and victory was the party’s ticket, saying once he crosses the party level, the matter is already put to rest and a new Nigeria will start.

“Let me be honest with you, what is between me and victory to Aso Rock is the ticket of the party. Once, I have the APC ticket, it’s a done deal in this country, unless we are not talking about the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the people of Nigeria,” he said.