Rochas Okorocha
Encyclopedia
Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha (b. 22 September 1962) is a Nigerian politician from Imo state
, Nigeria
who won the 6 May 2011 gubernatorial election in Imo state. He ran on the All Progressives Grand Alliance
(APGA) platform.
Rochas defeated his closest rival, incumbent governor Ikedi Ohakim
, by a wide margin of votes.
, was born on 22 September 1962 in Ogboko, Ideato South
, Imo State
.
He attended Juladaco High School, Jos
(1976-1981).
He studied at the University of Jos
(1990-1991), obtaining a diploma in Public Administration. He returned to the University of Jos (1993-1994) to obtain an advanced diploma in Public Administration.
Career positions include President, Nigeria Red Cross Society, President/Founder, Rochas Foundation Inc, President, Rochas Group of Companies Limited, Pro Chancellor, African Business School and Former Chairman, Board of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.
When democracy was restored in 1999, Rochas Okorocha competed in the primaries to be People's Democratic Party
(PDP) candidate for governor of Imo State, but lost to Achike Udenwa
.
He moved to the All Nigeria People's Party
(ANPP), and was an unsuccessful candidate for President on the ANPP platform in 2003.
He returned to the PDP, and President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him as Special Adviser on Inter-Party affairs.
Rochas Okorocha formed the Action Alliance (AA) party in 2005, planning to become a Presidential candidate for the AA in the 2007 elections.
He again returned to the PDP, and in September 2007 indicated that he was interested in becoming PDP National Chairman.
After Governor Ikedi Ohakim
decamped from the Progressive Peoples Alliance
(PPA) to the PDP in July 2009, Okorocha denied that Ohakim had taken over the PDP in the state, saying he was named as leader since he was governor, but a proper PDP congress should be held to decide on policy.
(APGA), to run as APGA candidate for Imo State Governor in the April 2011 national elections. A few weeks later, in December 2010 the APGA suspended Okorocha from the party over what it described as anti-party activities pending an investigation of his conduct.
It was reported that he had stormed the Imo State Secretariat of APGA with dozens of thugs, who beat up several top officers of the Party. Okorocha and his companions had also threatened the Imo State Chairman and Secretary of APGA.
However, Okorocha went on to campaign as APGA candidate.
The Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) declared that the Imo State gubernatorial elections held on 26 April 2011 were inconclusive since the collation of results was marred by irregularities.
The INEC ordered reruns in four local government areas and one ward, to be held on 6 May 2011.
In the event, elections were not held in Oguta
local government area due to a security threat.
The final results had Okorocha of the APGA declared winner 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 the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was third with 107,068 votes.
President Goodluck Jonathan
congratulated Rocha on his election, saying the people of Imo State had spoken through the ballot box.
Imo State
Imo State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria and lies to the south of Nigeria with Owerri as its capital and largest city.-History:Imo State came into existence in 1976 along with other new states created under the leadership of the late military ruler of Nigeria, Murtala Muhammad, having been...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
who won the 6 May 2011 gubernatorial election in Imo state. He ran on the All Progressives Grand Alliance
All Progressives Grand Alliance
The All Progressives Grand Alliance is a political party in Nigeria. At the last legislative elections, 12 April 2003, the party won 1.4 % of popular votes and 2 of 360 seats in the House of Representatives of Nigeria and no seats in the Senate...
(APGA) platform.
Rochas defeated his closest rival, incumbent governor Ikedi Ohakim
Ikedi Ohakim
Ikedi Ohakim is a Nigerian businessman who became governor of Imo State in the Niger Delta region in May 2007, standing for the Progressive Peoples Alliance .He later switched to the People's Democratic Party .-Background:...
, by a wide margin of votes.
Background
Rochas, an IgboIgbo people
Igbo people, also referred to as the Ibo, Ebo, Eboans or Heebo are an ethnic group living chiefly in southeastern Nigeria. They speak Igbo, which includes various Igboid languages and dialects; today, a majority of them speak English alongside Igbo as a result of British colonialism...
, was born on 22 September 1962 in Ogboko, Ideato South
Ideato South
Ideato South is a Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Dikenefai. It has an area of 88 km² and a population of 159,879 at the 2006 census....
, Imo State
Imo State
Imo State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria and lies to the south of Nigeria with Owerri as its capital and largest city.-History:Imo State came into existence in 1976 along with other new states created under the leadership of the late military ruler of Nigeria, Murtala Muhammad, having been...
.
He attended Juladaco High School, Jos
Jos
Jos is a city in the Middle Belt of Nigeria.The city has a population of about 1.5 million residents. Popularly called "J-town" or "Jesus Our Saviour" by the residents, it is the administrative capital of Plateau State....
(1976-1981).
He studied at the University of Jos
University of Jos
The University of Jos, abbreviated as Unijos, is a federal university in Jos, Plateau State, central Nigeria. The school offers courses in law, medicine, pharmacy, natural sciences, social sciences, the built environment as well as arts and humanities....
(1990-1991), obtaining a diploma in Public Administration. He returned to the University of Jos (1993-1994) to obtain an advanced diploma in Public Administration.
Career positions include President, Nigeria Red Cross Society, President/Founder, Rochas Foundation Inc, President, Rochas Group of Companies Limited, Pro Chancellor, African Business School and Former Chairman, Board of Nigerian Airspace Management Agency.
Early political career
Rochas was a Commissioner on the Federal Character Commission and a Member of the National Constitutional Conference.When democracy was restored in 1999, Rochas Okorocha competed in the primaries to be People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP) candidate for governor of Imo State, but lost to Achike Udenwa
Achike Udenwa
Achike Udenwa born 1948 was the governor of Imo State in Nigeria. He became governor after winning the election in 1999. Udenwa won re-election in 2003, and his term ended on 29 May 2007....
.
He moved to the All Nigeria People's Party
All Nigeria People's Party
The All Nigeria Peoples Party is a conservative political party in Nigeria. At the last legislative elections , the party won 27.0% of the popular vote and 92 out of 360 seats in the House of Representatives and 27 out of 109 seats in the Senate...
(ANPP), and was an unsuccessful candidate for President on the ANPP platform in 2003.
He returned to the PDP, and President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed him as Special Adviser on Inter-Party affairs.
Rochas Okorocha formed the Action Alliance (AA) party in 2005, planning to become a Presidential candidate for the AA in the 2007 elections.
He again returned to the PDP, and in September 2007 indicated that he was interested in becoming PDP National Chairman.
After Governor Ikedi Ohakim
Ikedi Ohakim
Ikedi Ohakim is a Nigerian businessman who became governor of Imo State in the Niger Delta region in May 2007, standing for the Progressive Peoples Alliance .He later switched to the People's Democratic Party .-Background:...
decamped from the Progressive Peoples Alliance
Progressive Peoples Alliance
The Progressive Peoples Alliance is a political party in Nigeria. Notable members of the party include Orji Uzor Kalu.The party won gubernatorial elections in 2003 and 2007 in Abia State. The party also won the governorship election in 2007 in Imo State...
(PPA) to the PDP in July 2009, Okorocha denied that Ohakim had taken over the PDP in the state, saying he was named as leader since he was governor, but a proper PDP congress should be held to decide on policy.
Imo state governor
Okorocha decamped from the PDP to the All Progressives Grand AllianceAll Progressives Grand Alliance
The All Progressives Grand Alliance is a political party in Nigeria. At the last legislative elections, 12 April 2003, the party won 1.4 % of popular votes and 2 of 360 seats in the House of Representatives of Nigeria and no seats in the Senate...
(APGA), to run as APGA candidate for Imo State Governor in the April 2011 national elections. A few weeks later, in December 2010 the APGA suspended Okorocha from the party over what it described as anti-party activities pending an investigation of his conduct.
It was reported that he had stormed the Imo State Secretariat of APGA with dozens of thugs, who beat up several top officers of the Party. Okorocha and his companions had also threatened the Imo State Chairman and Secretary of APGA.
However, Okorocha went on to campaign as APGA candidate.
The Independent National Electoral Commission
Independent National Electoral Commission
The Independent National Electoral Commission , set up in 1998, is the electoral body which was set up to oversee elections in Nigeria.The INEC has encountered several controversies in the run-up to the April 2007 general elections, including criticism about its preparedness from Sada Abubakar,...
(INEC) declared that the Imo State gubernatorial elections held on 26 April 2011 were inconclusive since the collation of results was marred by irregularities.
The INEC ordered reruns in four local government areas and one ward, to be held on 6 May 2011.
In the event, elections were not held in Oguta
Oguta
Oguta is a city on the east bank of Oguta Lake in southeast Nigeria. Oguta was one of the first territories used by the British to advance into the Igbo hinterland...
local government area due to a security threat.
The final results had Okorocha of the APGA declared winner with 336,859 votes. He was followed by the incumbent governor Ikedi Ohakim
Ikedi Ohakim
Ikedi Ohakim is a Nigerian businessman who became governor of Imo State in the Niger Delta region in May 2007, standing for the Progressive Peoples Alliance .He later switched to the People's Democratic Party .-Background:...
of the PDP with 290,490 votes. Former Senator Ifeanyi Araraume of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) was third with 107,068 votes.
President Goodluck Jonathan
Goodluck Jonathan
Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR, BNER, GCON is the 14th Head of State and current President of Nigeria.He was Governor of Bayelsa State from 9 December 2005 to 28 May 2007, and was sworn in as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 29 May 2007. Jonathan is a member of the...
congratulated Rocha on his election, saying the people of Imo State had spoken through the ballot box.