Imo: It’ll be a tragedy if Okorocha is not re-elected — Okafor
Deacon Chike Okafor is the immediate past Commissioner for Finance in Imo state and presently, the All Progressives Congress, APC candidate for the Okigwe South Federal Constituency. In this interview, Okafor discusses his ambition, his politics and ideology in public service. Excerpts:
*Imo state Governor, Okorocha
What was it like serving as a Finance Commissioner?
My number one challenge was how to keep up with the pace of the governor who was in a hurry to make a mark. He was in hurry to take Imo State from where it was to where it is today. Then, I didn’t know his style of work, emotions and mannerism. But immediately I settled in, and I got to know his modus operandi, I didn’t have any problem keeping up with his pace.
What are your prospects in the House contest?
My chances are very bright. The responses and the reactions of my people in Okigwe South Federal Constituency have been encouraging. We have done our ward round, and we have also done our community visits. I think Chike Okafor is the man to beat in the 2015 Okigwe South Federal Constituency election.
A major driving force for me is that everybody knows that the government of Owelle Rochas Okorocha has done very well, and I am part of that government. That’s the key selling point. If I wasn’t in government, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity of doing so many things.
Track record
So the credit naturally should go to the Rescue Mission government where I belong.
How do you look at the shift in election date? Would it change anything for you?
We have gone past the issue of shift or no shift in election date. That is behind us now but be that as it may, elections will come on March 28th, and nothing is going to change between now and then.
The opinion and decision of the electorate will not change. Our track records will remain the same. You can’t beat achievements built over the years, in six weeks. The story would be the same whether the elections hold today or in the next six weeks. The postponement would even offer us another window to exhaustively tell our people all we have been able to do for them. Either way, it is a win-win situation.
What will be your focus be in the House of Representative?
My focus will not be different from what the party APC stands for. It is a progressive party. It is a party that believes so much in developments that would move the nation forward. We are going to become a strong voice for our people.
Interestingly, one has been in government and one has been in a good background in finance and economics, once subsequent budgets are prepared one will be in a better position to identify the needs of the people, ensure their inclusion in the budget and make sure that the necessary legislative framework is put in place to make sure that developmental efforts and infrastructures are brought home.
Do you think Governor Rochas Okorocha will be re-elected?
It will be a misfortune for Imo State if Rochas Okorocha is not returned as the Governor because there are lots of things he has started that need to be completed and we need a man with the multi-vision that he has to be able to continue with what he has started.
Take, for instance; it took a Rochas Okorocha to show us that education can be free from primary to university. The last government didn’t believe in that. They said it was not possible that education can be free. They just want to take it away from where Governor Rochas Okorocha took it, to say that they will make their own ‘qualitatively free’.
But I don’t see them doing that because you can’t give what you don’t have.
It is a lot easier for Rochas Okorocha’s government to embark on free education because Rochas as an individual had been doing that for ten years before he assumed office. So it is so easy for him to run through it as a governor. He did it when he wasn’t even thinking of becoming the governor of Imo State. These other people who are scheming to come to Douglas House, do they have it in them? No, they don’t. So can they learn it at that age? No, they can’t.
So Rochas Okorocha will return. He will return as a Governor of Imo State no matter what the opposition does. Imo people are rooting for him.
My number one challenge was how to keep up with the pace of the governor who was in a hurry to make a mark. He was in hurry to take Imo State from where it was to where it is today. Then, I didn’t know his style of work, emotions and mannerism. But immediately I settled in, and I got to know his modus operandi, I didn’t have any problem keeping up with his pace.
What are your prospects in the House contest?
My chances are very bright. The responses and the reactions of my people in Okigwe South Federal Constituency have been encouraging. We have done our ward round, and we have also done our community visits. I think Chike Okafor is the man to beat in the 2015 Okigwe South Federal Constituency election.
A major driving force for me is that everybody knows that the government of Owelle Rochas Okorocha has done very well, and I am part of that government. That’s the key selling point. If I wasn’t in government, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity of doing so many things.
Track record
So the credit naturally should go to the Rescue Mission government where I belong.
How do you look at the shift in election date? Would it change anything for you?
We have gone past the issue of shift or no shift in election date. That is behind us now but be that as it may, elections will come on March 28th, and nothing is going to change between now and then.
The opinion and decision of the electorate will not change. Our track records will remain the same. You can’t beat achievements built over the years, in six weeks. The story would be the same whether the elections hold today or in the next six weeks. The postponement would even offer us another window to exhaustively tell our people all we have been able to do for them. Either way, it is a win-win situation.
What will be your focus be in the House of Representative?
My focus will not be different from what the party APC stands for. It is a progressive party. It is a party that believes so much in developments that would move the nation forward. We are going to become a strong voice for our people.
Interestingly, one has been in government and one has been in a good background in finance and economics, once subsequent budgets are prepared one will be in a better position to identify the needs of the people, ensure their inclusion in the budget and make sure that the necessary legislative framework is put in place to make sure that developmental efforts and infrastructures are brought home.
Do you think Governor Rochas Okorocha will be re-elected?
It will be a misfortune for Imo State if Rochas Okorocha is not returned as the Governor because there are lots of things he has started that need to be completed and we need a man with the multi-vision that he has to be able to continue with what he has started.
Take, for instance; it took a Rochas Okorocha to show us that education can be free from primary to university. The last government didn’t believe in that. They said it was not possible that education can be free. They just want to take it away from where Governor Rochas Okorocha took it, to say that they will make their own ‘qualitatively free’.
But I don’t see them doing that because you can’t give what you don’t have.
It is a lot easier for Rochas Okorocha’s government to embark on free education because Rochas as an individual had been doing that for ten years before he assumed office. So it is so easy for him to run through it as a governor. He did it when he wasn’t even thinking of becoming the governor of Imo State. These other people who are scheming to come to Douglas House, do they have it in them? No, they don’t. So can they learn it at that age? No, they can’t.
So Rochas Okorocha will return. He will return as a Governor of Imo State no matter what the opposition does. Imo people are rooting for him.
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