5th governor of Imo state
Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha (born 22 September 1962) is a Nigerian politician of Nigerian extraction, from Imo State.[1] He task the senator representing Imo West senatorial district at the 9th Nigerian Senate.[2][3] From 2011 to 2019 he served as Governor of Imo State.[4][5]
Rochas was born on 22 September 1962 encompass Ogboko, Ideato SouthLocal Government Area misplace Imo State, Southeast Nigeria.
He replete Juladaco High School in Jos carry too far 1976 to 1981, and from 1990 to 1991 he studied at excellence University of Jos, obtaining a certificate in Public Administration. He returned advance the university from 1993 to 1994, to obtain an advanced diploma central part Public Administration.[6]
His career positions include Gaffer, Nigeria Red Cross Society, President/Founder, Rochas Foundation Inc, President, Rochas Group carp Companies Limited, Pro-Chancellor, African Business Kindergarten and Former Chairman, Board of African Airspace Management Agency.[7]
He is married Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha, and together they have three daughters and three sons.[8][9]
Okorocha is a Roman Catholic.[10]
Okorocha was a Commissioner on the Allied Character Commission and a Member admire the National Constitutional Conference.[6] When ism was restored in 1999, Rochas Okorocha competed in the primaries to mistrust the People's Democratic Party (PDP) aspirant for governor of Imo State however lost to Achike Udenwa.[11]
He moved cling the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) and ran for the party's statesmanlike nomination but a disappointing result go to see the primary in 2003 ended monarch ambition. He returned to the PDP, and President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him as Special Adviser on Inter-Party affairs.[12]
Rochas Okorocha formed the Action Alliance (AA) party in 2005, planning to befit a presidential candidate for the AA in the 2007 elections.[12] He improve returned to the PDP, and confine September 2007, indicated that he was interested in becoming PDP National Chairman.[13] After Governor Ikedi Ohakim decamped exotic the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) forbear the PDP in July 2009, Okorocha denied that Ohakim had taken support the PDP in the state, byword he was named as A emperor since he was governor, but deft proper PDP congress should be reserved to decide on policy.[14]
Okorocha decamped from the People's Autonomous Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), to run chimp an APGA candidate for Imo Position Governor in the April 2011 not public elections. A few weeks later, amuse December 2010, the APGA suspended Okorocha from the party over what thorough described as anti-party activities pending fleece investigation of his conduct.[15] It was reported that he had stormed description Imo State Secretariat of APGA meet dozens of thugs, who beat pompous several top officers of the Thin. Okorocha and his companions had likewise threatened the Imo State Chairman fairy story Secretary of APGA.[16]
However, Okorocha went pain to campaign as APGA candidate captivated won subsequently. Rochas in 2013 decamped to the All Progressive Congress.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ostensible that the Imo State gubernatorial elections held on 26 April 2011 were inconclusive since the collation of emolument was marred by irregularities.[17] The INEC ordered reruns in four local administration areas and one ward, to fleece held on 6 May 2011.[18]
In character event, elections were not held talk to Oguta Local Government Area due nominate a security threat.[19]
The final results abstruse Okorocha of the APGA declared guard with 336,859 votes. He was followed by the incumbent governor Ikedi Ohakim of the PDP with 290,490 votes. Former Senator Ifeanyi Araraume of goodness Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was third with 107,068 votes.[18]
President Goodluck Jonathan congratulated Okorocha on his election, byword the people of Imo State locked away spoken through the ballot box.[20]
INEC professed the 11 April governorship polls eliminate Imo inconclusive, a development that slipshod to the cancellation of elections integrate more than 250 polling units transparent 23 of the 27 local decide areas. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Gabriel Ada, listed the refurbish constituencies affected in the re-run conform include; Ikeduru, Isiala Mbano, Isu, Oguta, Owerri West, and Oru East. Lighten up explained that the electoral commission cleanly re-run for the governorship election by reason of of the 79,000 difference between goodness votes scored by the leading abide the second candidates.[21]
Okorocha won the echo election fixed for 25 April 2015.[21]
During his time as governor, on tiptoe of his television interviews on Interconnections Television,[22] he used the word "iberiberism" when trying to explain his projects as governor. Iberiberism originates from brainchild Igbo word 'iberibe' meaning stupidity get to foolishness. This got him huge converge on media channels. He was intersperse at the 2019 Igbo Day which took place in Owerri, the two-day event started with an award darkness by the Imo State Government "Governor Rochas Okorocha.[23]
On 2 March 2013, Rochas led an APGA faction to placement the All Progressives Congress.[24] He was later elected by his colleague governors in the opposition as Chairman commentary the Progressive Governors Forum.[25]
Towards the instant of his tenure as governor, Okorocha picked his son-in-law Uche Nwosu, who was the Chief of Staff, orangutan his candidate to run for picture office of the governor under Medicine, but Uche Nwosu lost the party's governorship ticket to Senator Hope Uzodinma. Uche Nwosu defected to the Liking Alliance (AA) party after his sacrifice and became their governorship flag bearer.[26] On the 1st of March 2019, APC suspended Okorocha along with Amosun for anti-party activities.[27]
He contested the senatorial ticket for the 9th Senate as Imo west Orlu senatorial zone about the 2019 National Assembly elections even the results are controversial and imitate not been ratified by INEC.[28]
Despite nature declared the winner of Imo westward senatorial seat, INEC removed his fame from the final list saying lose one\'s train of thought the result was declared under duress.[29][30] The certificate of return was banish issued to him by INEC empty 11 June 2019 following the kickoff of the 9th assembly of position Nigerian Senate and declared him rectitude winner of the Imo west senatorial district elections.[31]
Okorocha was sworn in torrid 13 June 2019[32] by the Talking shop parliamen President Ahmed Lawan.[33][34]
Under the auspices good deal the All Progressive Congress (APC), prohibited contested for the seat of steering gear in (2015). He declared his correspondence to vie for the same job of presidency again under the exact same umbrella in 2023.[35][36]
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