Ahead of 2023, the Senator representing Imo West Senatorial District and former Governor, Rochas Okorocha, is advocating for a realignment of political forces in Nigeria, in a patriotic bid to make the country great again.
He is already wooing Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State to brace for joining forces with political like-minds to rescue Nigeria from continued drift.
Okorocha was speaking in Rivers where he was Wike’s guest to inaugurate the Rumuche/Rumuakunde/Ohna Awuse Link Road in Emohua Local Government Area. According to him, it was time for people of like-minds who desire the best for Nigeria to stop complaining but come together to join forces to make the country great.
The ex-Imo governor spoke as his host counselled members of Okorocha’s party, All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to discard politics of bitterness that often make them to frustrate development projects attracted by others to their communities.
According to Wike, politics is a game of interest and future looking politicians like him are not vindictive in nature, but pursue the interest that will enhance the overall socioeconomic life of communities and individuals that have supported the party.
He challenged Senator Andrew Uchendu of the APC to show what he has achieved for his community as a member of the two chambers of the National Assembly.
Governor Wike who announced the immediate award of contract for the reconstruction of the Mgbuitawo Road in Senator Uchendu’s community to serve as a proof that he is a liberal politician, added, ‘’I am different, so, I will do the Mgbuitawo Road immediately. I am going to do it because I am not a vindictive politician.
‘’If I am a vindictive politician, that road will not be done. Also, I want to tell him, there is no need to play politics with bitterness. Politics is a game, we will talk today and talk tomorrow. No permanent friend and enemy but permanent interest.
‘’For Mgbuitawo community people, Ohna Awuse, and Emeka Woke do not hold anything against you. Therefore, the road will be constructed. So, the Commissioner for Works is hereby directed to go and scoop the Mgbuitawo community road, and also go for the internal roads in Ogbakiri Town.”
Wike also announced that streetlights will be installed on the just inaugurated Rumuche/Rumuakunde/Ohna Awuse link road and Isiodu Road all in Emohua Local Government Area to further appreciate the support they have given to him.
“I came here and I told you that I will do this road. I give God the glory that I have done it using one of the best constructing firms in Nigeria’’, Wike said and explained why he brought Okorocha, who is a member of APC to inaugurate the road project.
‘’That does not mean that I am fraternising with the opposition party. We have been friends since my days as local government council chairman. But, let me tell you what you may not understand. I don’t believe that you must only have friends in your own party. You must have to build relationship across boards. That doesn’t mean you’ll sell your party.’’
Continuing, Wike said, ‘’Senator Okorocha has been my friend since I was Deputy National President of ALGON down to when I became the President of ALGON. He was a member of PDP. He left us and said they are going to make Nigeria great. He is still there, I believe that in these two years that they have, they’ll make us to be that great. But as at today, we are not great.”
According to him, Nigerians must embrace one another no matter their political affiliations, and break barriers that make it difficult to work together as Nigerians for the good of the country.
Picking up from there, Okorocha said, “in this dispensation, there are many bad people in APC, many bad people in PDP. I think the good people of APC and good people of PDP must come together for the purpose of making Nigeria great.
‘’I can imagine joining forces with Wike to take this country to greater heights. Governor Wike, this is my hand of friendship. Let us bring all like minds, all great people of Nigeria together rather than complaining , let us come together to make this country greater and greater as it should be.”
Continuing, the senator said, “what brought me here today is not party. What brought me here today is love and friendship. I am not PDP, I am APC. But the time has come when we must break the jinx of party division and begin to embrace brotherhood and friendship and be able to state what is good and what is bad. A bad man is a bad man, even if he is PDP or APC.”
For Okorocha, Governor Wike is a courageous leader, who has spoken truth to power, and continued to improve the lot of Rivers people with his project delivery mantra.
‘’Political power is a trust which can only be justified when used for the common good’’, he said, noting that the Nigerian people are not asking for too much from their leaders other than basic necessities of life, adding, ‘’leaders who are unable to provide basic amenities such as electricity, water and road must be considered failed leaders.’’
Commissioner for Works, Elloka Tasie-Amadi explains that the once deplorable Rumuche/Rumuakunde/Ohna Awuse Link Road has been reconstructed into a desirable access. It is 7meter wide, ended the one way entry problem into the community and will also serve as bypass to Kalabari people.
At the event, Sergent Awuse expressed his gratitude to Wike for ending the several years of unfulfilled promise by previous administration, adding, ‘’it pays to have such a leader who means well for the people’’.
