With activities leading to 2019 election gearing up gradually, Governor Rochas Okorocha is not leaving any stone unturned in his bid to produce a successor after leaving office.
By 2019, the governor would have completed his two tenures to be constitutionally knocked out for another term. But in a bid to continue his legacy in the State, Okorocha is upbeat about installing a successor.
The governor, unmindful of the forces that would challenge him in the run up to the election in his APC party, has not hidden intent to produce the next Chief Executive of the State. At various for a he has spoken about the expected identity of the next governor of Imo State.
To align himself with the forces that will dictate the pace of who gets what in 2019, Okorocha has started looking at the way of President Muhammadu Buhari.
It was gathered that Okorocha does not enjoy good relationship with President Buhari despite their political affinity as APC members. While Okorocha is the APC chairman, Buhari is the elected President under APC. Several developments in the party at Abuja level and Federal appointments undertaking by Mr President which do not have the input of the governor suggest that all is not well between the two leaders.
Apparently aware that his frosty relationship with Buhari may spell doom for his future ambition, Okorocha is retracing steps back to not only seek the face of the President but ender himself to him for favours.
Okorocha’s recent tactics is to rename the popular roads in Owerri, Bank Road opp Government House after Buhari. After expending the road, Okorocha has baptized it Muhammadu Buhari Road. The action, Trumpeta gathered, is to woo Buhari, especially now 2019 election activities are about to commence. Before now, Okorocha had gone on the media campaign about his desire to be the campaign Manager for Buhari’s second term after a volte-face about Mr President’s automatic ticket.
Initially, Okorocha had created doubts about the automatic ticket to Buhari canvassed by others. But in another desperate move to seek recognition, he advocated for it and even offered to be the campaign manager of Mr President, a more suspected to enable him earn the confidence of Buhari. The action of naming a road after the Nigerian President weeks after that of South Africa, Jacob Zuma and outgoing President of Liberia, Mrs Ellen Johnson- Sirleaf got a statue and road each is to woo Buhari.
Okorocha has been under fire of sort for neglecting President Buhari and giving undue attention to heads of states of other Africa countries. With pressure at the home front, the governor seeks the support of Buhari for the battle ahead.
