By Chidi Nkwopara, OWERRI.
The palpable suffering facing Nigerian citizens has been linked with “the unpreparedness of President Muhammadu Buhari for proper governance of the country”.
The National Chairman of United Progressives Party, UPP, Chief Chekwas Okorie, made his feelings known Tuesday, when he paid a courtesy call on the protagonist and leader of Biafra Independence Movement, BIM, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, in Owerri.
“It is a very sad commentary that Nigerians are passing through very harsh times and this is principally midwifed by the fact that President Buhari did not prepare for governance before stepping into office”, Chief Okorie said.
Chief Okorie
According to the UPP National Chairman, “from what we have seen so far, it appears that President Buhari’s primary motive was simply to win the presidential election”.
While saying that it took the President several months before he rolled out the ministerial list, Chief Okorie equally lamented that so many government parastatals and agencies cannot operate optimally today because they do not have boards to oversee their affairs.
“Another good example of the President’s bad approach to governance is the issue of the Niger Delta upheaval. He didn’t manage it well. He came on board with the jackboot mentality over the matter and of course, he failed”, Okorie said.
The Abia State born politician appealed to the Federal Government to “reflate the nation’s economy, so as to ameliorate the present ugly economic situation in the country”.
While giving his full support for the current calls for restructuring of Nigeria, the UPP National Chairman reasoned that “the present structure of Nigeria is not made to encourage enterprise”.
“UPP will bring the recommendations of the recent National Conference to the front burner. Already, we have set up a committee to look at the document. UPP will make it an issue during the 2019 election campaign”, Okorie said.
Answering a question on the plight of Imo pensioners, the UPP boss said: “Governor Rochas Okorocha is a very big embarrassment to Ndigbo. He has messed up Imo State.
He is worried about the deafening lamentation of the citizenry and it does not appear that he wants to change his obnoxious style”.
Continuing, Chief Okorie said “the way Chief Okorocha has been treating pensioners, to say the least, is most shocking. To Imo people, 2019 appears to be eternity. The worst thing that can happen is for any right thinking Imo citizen to vote for All Progressives Congress, APC, or any stooge Okorocha brings up”, Okorie said.
Welcoming his visitors earlier, Chief Uwazuruike said that Ndigbo need forward looking people to manage their affairs and not self seeking individuals that reverse and destroy Igbo fortune.
“Ojukwu remains our symbol of unity. The ability to sincerely work for Ndigbo is completely different from working for self aggrandisement. I am not vying for any political office. I prefer staying at the background and call the shots”, Uwazuruike said.
