*says my projects will take more than 8 years to complete
The governor of Imo State, Nigeria, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has cleared the doubts on his position on the governorship of the state in the 2015 election, saying he will re-contest his position.
This is contrary to the promise he made during his campaigns before the 2011 gubernatorial election where he promised to rescue the state in just one term of four years.
Drawing inspiration then from the first civilian governor of the state, Chief Sam Mbakwe who achieved a lot while governing the state in one term, Okorocha told the people of the state then at the Assumpta Cathedral, venue of the 2011 Imo Governorship Debate, that he would carry out all his programmes before four years because “today’s Imo State is smaller and richer than the old Imo where Mbakwe performed well”
But speaking yesterday in Government House, Owerri during his Independent Party with school pupils and teachers, Governor Okorocha said he would not leave office without completing his ongoing monumental projects.
According to him, the projects he started so far across the state would take about eight years to complete.
He said his decision changed when the people of the state gave him additional jobs to the one he had promised to do.
Governor Okorocha explained that his administration was currently building 27 General Hospitals across the state instead of the planned nine; 305 modern school blocks instead of the planned 27.
He maintained that he descended from his presidential aspiration to the governorship position of the state due to circumstances of the time, adding that it was same circumstance that would propel him to hang on for second term as the governor of the state.
Responding to question from a pupil about the constant visits of the anti-graft officials to the state, the governor admitted that the officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) visit the state almost on weekly basis because the people of the state are highly known for being petition writers.
He however said that the regular visit of the EFCC to the state and the consequent arrest of government officials had never affected the running of his government.
