BY FRANCIS IGWE
Baring unforeseen circumstances, former governor of Imo State and Senator Representing Orlu Zone in the Senate, Senator Rochas Okorocha, may join the race for President on January 31, 2022.
Though there is no official confirmation, sources close to the Senator said he will address a press conference in Abuja, where he would declare his presidential ambition.
Okorocha has consistently given clues that he will vie for President on the platform of the governing All Progressive Congress, APC in 2023.
This will be his third attempt at the Presidency after failed efforts in the past.
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In 2015, he had vied for the presidential ticket of the APC, which he lost to eventual winner of the Presidential Primary, Muhammadu Buhari.
If Okorocha eventually declares for President, he will be the third APC chieftain from the South East to join the 2023 presidential race.
Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi and Senate Chief Whip, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, have declared their intentions to be President.
Umahi had visited Buhari at the State House, Abuja where he informed the President of his ambition.
Okorocha’s declaration is coming amidst face off back home with his successor, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State. The duo have been involved in fierce altercations in the past two years.
A socio political group championing the quest of an Igbo President of Nigeria extraction, the South East Coalition for Good Governance, SECG had called on Igbo politicians in the APC or any other political party, nursing the ambition to be President of Nigeria, to step forward and declare their ambition.
The group made the call after former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu,had visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, where he informed the President of his life long ambition to be President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
There is growing clamour for the South East to produce President Buhari’s successor in 2023.
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