Rochas Okorocha, governor of Imo state, says Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), seems to be crying more than the bereaved over an issue relating to the party’s presidential ticket in 2019.
Addressing reporters in Akure, Ondo state capital, last month, Tinubu disagreed with Okorocha, who had earlier said 34 governors had endorsed Buhari’s re-election.
The national leader said if Buhari decides to re-contest, there would be no automatic ticket for him.
But speaking with journalists after receiving an honorary doctorate degree at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akoko, Ondo state, Okorocha said Tinubu’s statement came as a surprise to him.
“Come to think of it, I never referred to him. I referred to the governors of Nigeria, including the PDP governors and I said only one or two of them had not joined yet,” Okorocha said.
“Since I made the statement, no governor has said something contrary to what I said. I am surprised that Asiwaju will now be speaking for the governors.
“He looks like somebody crying more than the bereaved. I did not see any reason for the statement actually. But he commands my respect and I don’t want to take issue with the national leader of my party.
“What I mentioned was for the governors and secondly what I said is support. The word I use is support that does not mean there will not be a primary.
“Governors can only contribute 37 votes; we still have over 5,000 votes up there. What I was talking about was about governors. I was not talking about other party members. Governors alone do not determine the standard bearer of a party.”
He said the exit of Atiku Abubakar from the party is not in the best interest of party.
“I have taken a holistic view of our party, it is not the best because no matter how anybody thinks, Atiku carries some political weight,” Okorocha said.
“His leaving our party is not the best.”
