The decision of Governor Rochas Okorocha to start championing the re-election of President Mohammed Buhari in 2019 may not be unconnected to the advise handed to him by a pro Buhari group.
Okorocha early in the week clamoured for the second term ticket of President Buhari on the premise that he is the best for the country at the moment and most governors irrespective of party platform are rooting for him.
A pro Buhari group, the Democratic Youths Congress for Buhari 2019 who visited Okorocha in Owerri on Tuesday gave reasons why the Imo State governor should not think of running the presidential race against Buhari.
National chairman of the group, Hon Kassim Muhammed Kassim told Okorocha.
“We are not here to impress you but to attest to the fact that you have performed very well as a bridge builder and true nationalist. We know that the name Rochas has become an institution that we are gradually queuing behind.
“We have gathered here to plead with you, to appeal to you and request and cry to your able leadership to shelve your well deserved ambition of running for the office of the president. You are more than qualified and well loved across the regions of this nation, but at this moment we plead that you support President Buhari to complete his good works for the nation.”
“With your track records we would have gladly chosen you to run for 2019 but we have all endorsed Buhari and accepted that you lead us all the way in the support. We are begging and pleading that you lead all the governors of APC to support Buhari for what he has done and what he stands for in Nigeria. With you on our side, victory is as good as gotten”, Hon Kassim stated.
Earlier while addressing the group, Okorocha had said his words “I am a believer of Buhari and I made it clear years ago that if President Buhari is running for president I will not run. People have forgotten history that I ran with him during the ANPP days and in the last dispensation as governor. Now God has chosen him to be the president of Nigeria and some of us now are witnesses that Buhari was and is still the best for Nigeria at this material time.”
He continued, “This is because I have seen a man that has the strength of character to lead this Nigeria at this moment of our history. There is no better president for Nigeria now under the situation we found ourselves than President Buhari. These are some of the considerations I have made for my support.”
For him”President Buhari might not be the best president of Nigeria 2023 or 2027 but Nigeria of today, he is the right man for the job. His fight against corruption takes an unusual character to do what he has done. His style to end up terrorism in the North East is again something that requires his personal character.”
Governor Okorocha remarked “To buttress the point much better, Nigeria has come out of recession in the shortest period recorded in history and this is a testament to Buhari’s tenacity. And since I have resolved with my political family to shelve my ambition and support Buhari, I want to appeal to others to show such support to him because having looked at the political calculation, I have found out that the best thing that will happen to Nigeria is to allow President Buhari complete his term.
“This will bring about the new Nigeria we are talking about and this will put Nigeria first and the unity we are looking for will be guaranteed under this administration. Our nation is going through a challenging moment and we will require a man of his caliber to see us through this period.
The governor said “I had run for the office of president for 3 times and I have supporters all over the country in their huge number. I am calling on all of them to support Buhari. The spirit of the moment warrants that.”
