Governor Rochas Okorocha has stated that he has managed the state’s statutory allocation of N168.4bn in three years to run the free education programme from primary to tertiary levels. Speaking on Democracy Day celebration, he said that part of the allocations was used to provide the dividends of democracy to the people.

He recalled that the circumstances that brought him to power in 2011 was “an unusual election in an unusual circumstances.”

Okorocha added that the masses in Imo were yearning for a ‘godly’ leader to deliver them from the ‘evil leadership’ of the past.

His words: “I took an oath to touch the lives of the people of my state with the help of God; and I do what I do, not for monetary gains or to be re-elected. “I wish to have my name written in history as a leader who registered a great impact on the lives of the people and development.”

Okorocha presented the newly-built International Conference Centre, pointing out that national and international organisations would hold their conferences there.

The governor enumerated some of the achievements made within three years in office to include: 1,000km asphalted rural roads, construction and dualisation of city roads, as well as five inland bridges to link the old and new Owerri. Others, he stated, are the reconstruction of Government House, construction of Owerri City School, primary school buildings in the rural areas and the degree-awarding College of Health Technology at Orlu.

He also cited the Odenigbo Guest House, Akachi Towers, European University, College of Advanced Professional Studies, 27 general hospitals in local governments, Young Scientist College and the Centenary Towers, among others, as examples of achievement in the state. The government, he added, has transformed Okigwe and Orlu into new cities and developed newer cities ‘to make Imo a one-city state’.

Okorocha expressed joy that the Community Government Council (CGC) had come to stay and applauded the contributions of the Eze Imo and all monarchs to his success.

He assured that with the implementation of the palm programme in the 637 communities of the state, the agricultural sector would be enhanced. Okorocha also noted that with the cooperation of security agencies, kidnapping and other criminal activities had reduced drastically. He added that the daily noon prayers had attracted the presence of God to make the achievements possible.

On whether he is to contest for second term as governor or run for the presidency under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015, Okorocha declared that his decision would depend on the wishes of the masses. He re-stated his plan to remain in the APC as alleged by his detractors and urged Nigerians to continue to support the party that assures needed changes in leadership.