Governor. Rochas begs Buhari to consider South East in his appointments

By Adekunle Aliyu
Imo state Governor and Chairman, All Progressives Congress, APC, Governor’s Forum, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has said that it is too early to begin to judge Buhari’s intention on his appointments and that as far as he is concerned, the president had executed what the office empowers him to do.

Rochas who appealed to the president to consider the South-East in his appointments said as the President and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he has the right to make appointments that would make him succeed and nobody should dictate for him who he should appoint or who he should not appoint.

The governor spoke weekend at the end during his meeting with selected stakeholders in the state, urging them to continue supporting the APC governments at all levels, in the country and mostly that of President Mohammadu Buhari.

As the president’s appointments so far affect the South-East, Governor Okorocha said “what I can only do is to continue to appeal to the president to consider the South-East in his appointments. And as far as I am concerned, the president had executed what the office empowers him to do, and it is believed that he did that in the best interest of the nation.”

He continued, “again, most of the appointments the president has so far made are like his personal staff. I don’t think South-East will ever be forgotten in this administration, we will get our due. In fact, if you ask me, I would say we should be more interested in the projects coming down to the South-East, and as much as we can get. The projects will bring about development of the South-East.”

The governor continued on the appointments, “on the appointments as they concern the South-East, there is no cause for alarm. It is too early in the day to begin to judge Buhari’s intention. I think he means well. Let us give him a chance. Nigeria is one nation. A nation for all of us. We must start thinking about the nation rather than thinking about sentiment of where we come from.”

“Although the South-East had expected so much, we believe all will be well with the Buhari presidency and for the development of the South-East. It is wrong for some people to begin to use the issue to incite the people of the South-east against the president. The government is about to celebrate its one hundred days, and the appointments are just beginning to come, and by and large, the South-East will get their dues.”

“The point is that we cannot begin to judge President Buhari with the appointments so far made. We cannot obviously use it to judge his intention. I think he means well for the nation and with every geo-political zone inclusive. So, let us give him a chance.”

The Governor also restated his commitment towards ensuring that many federal projects are cited in the South East zone during the present federal administration than during the previous ones. On the essence of the meeting he held with political stake holders in the state Owelle Okorocha said it was aimed at charting the way forward on the government’s programme of beautifying the state to attract investors, adding that the exercise will be extended to Okigwe and Orlu.

The governor explained that government would establish taskforce committees charged with the responsibility of cleaning up Imo state and relocating markets and parks as to create healthy environments, adding that the joint state and local government committees aimed at reviewing development projects executed in rural and urban areas of the state will be set up.