– Maintains That They Need The Supports Of The Rest Of Nigerians To Achieve The Dream Of One Of Them, Becoming President
– Informs That He Aspired In 2015 On The Platform Of Apc To Show That Igbos Were Stakeholders In The New Party
– Welcomes Governor David Umahi To APC
Former governor of Imo State and Senator Representing Imo West Senatorial District, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has said that, the Igbos alone cannot produce the President of the Country.
Okorocha spoke, Tuesday, when eminent Igbos, operating under the aegis of MOVEMENT FOR THE ACTUALIZATION OF NIGERIA PRESIDENT OF IGBO EXTRACTION, (MANPIE) visited him at his Owerri residence, to urge him to run for the office of President in 2023 and to also inform him that they had adopted him as a Consensus Candidate.
The former governor remarked that the Igbos need the supports of the rest of Nigerians to realize their dream or aspiration of seeing an Igbo man or woman elected the President of the Country in 2023.
Okorocha stated that, although he had run for the Presidency on two occasions before 2015, he ran that of 2015 on the platform of APC to send out a message, that the Igbos were major stakeholders in the new Party, and that he achieved that goal, to a very large extent.
He explained that he has every reason to believe in the nation called Nigeria, because he was born an Igbo man, brought up in the North and empowered economically by the West.
The former governor stated “It is true that Igbos are highly misunderstood, but allow me to say that, Igbos are the most peaceful Nigerians and wherever you find them, they are building bridges of peace and economic developments. The Igbos are the only people that have invested more outside, than what they had invested in their own land.”
The Senator said: “I am happy because you find me worthy. I am happy because you have made huge sacrifices driving through the long distance to meet with me on Nigeria’s presidency. I have read in between the lines of your submission. That you want a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction and you have found me worthy for this position. I feel honoured and I am happy.
He added “For me, I had run for this office of the president using different political parties and up to three times now. I had run for the office of president under the ANPP, and the second time, under PDP. The third time in APC, and now if I must run, it is for the unity of Nigeria. If I must run, it must be for the empowerment of the youths of Nigeria.”
Senator Okorocha also expressed gladness that the governor of Ebonyi State, Dr. David Umahi has joined the APC and said that, the governor had taken the right action.
In his speech, the National Coordinator of the Group, Comrade Jeff Nwoha said they had come to appeal to Okorocha to run for President in 2023 and to adopt him as the Igbo Consensus Candidate, adding that, they had come as Igbo leaders of thought from the 5 States in the South-East.
He said “Having painstakingly evaluated and scrutinized an inexhaustible list of preferred Igbo leaders and also in consideration of popular opinion and demand across the country that you are the most qualified, we therefore unanimously and in one accord appeal to you to run for President come 2023, as we have adopted you as the consensus and most qualified Presidential candidate of Igbo extraction come 2023”.
Nwoha stressed “You are a detribalized Nigerian whose milk of human kindness has continued to flow across diverse ethnic nationalities and geopolitical zones in Nigeria. You are the only Nigerian leader of Igbo extraction who has touched the lives of many Nigerians, invested in all parts of the country and made education accessible to every Nigerian and African child, regardless of ethnicity and religion, by giving free and qualitative education to the indigents through your Rochas Foundation College, which has presence in the six geopolitical zones of the country”.
