Imposition Of Candidates Must Stop In APC – Okorocha

okorocha_mdgGovernor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has urged the All Progressives Congress, APC, to put an end to the culture of imposition of candidates in order to be ahead of the competition.

This formed part of his remarks at the inaugural Progressive Governors-Legislative-Civil Society Roundtable in Abuja, on Monday.

The roundtable was tagged ‘Improving Governance through transparent budgeting, accountability and effective public financial management.’

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Okorocha, who is chairman of the PGF, comprising all the governors of the 16 APC-controlled states in the country, said he was aligning himself to comments made by a previous speaker to the effect that 2015 general election was for the opposition party to win or lose.

According to him, the outcome of the recent public opinion polls conducted by APC’s foreign consultant is a true reflection of what is on ground, noting that for the APC to form the government in 2015, it must seek to stand out from the pack.

Okorocha said, “Our victory is in our hands, it is left for us to make it or mar it but I believe we can make it. I believe that this issue of imposition of candidates must stop in APC and that is the only way.

“The masses know us better, when they say this is the candidate that can win the election he is the candidate let there be liberal democracy.

“If we keep doing the same old things the same old way, we will get the very same results”.

Speaking also at the roundtable, Senator Olusola Adeyeye, said when the APC forms the government at the centre, it would reintroduce tolls along major highways to generate the required revenue to maintain the roads.

He explained that just as the government had responsibility to the people, the people equally had civic responsibilities to perform.

While making a case for true federalism, he said states must be allowed to develop at their own pace.

“Why must the governor of the oil rich Rivers and the revenue rich Lagos, earn the same salary and allowances with the governors of Osun and Gombe?” he asked.

Adeyeye also charged Nigerians to rise and take ownership of their country and government. This partnership, he explained, would ensure progress for the nation.

He said it was no longer the norm in most parts of the world to leave everything to the government alone because there were contending needs to be met, especially in the area of infrastructural development.