The ruling All Progressive Congress, APC has lauded Imo state Governor, Rochas Okorocha for bringing the South African President, Jacob Zuma, to create an enabling platform for investment in the state.
Rocha’s Okorocha had erected a N50m statue of Zuma, and conferred on him the Imo Merit award, reserved only for dignitaries who have made an impact in the development of the state.
The South African President had also signed an MoU with the Rocha’s Okorocha foundation and Zuma Foundation which will be for the benefit of the state.
However, the efforts of Rochas at erecting the statue and bringing the South African President was heavily criticized by people who saw the act as unbefitting to the state.
At a meeting of its National Working Committee NWC with its 24 state governors and principal officers of the National Assembly, APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said Okorocha’s efforts was highly appreciated as it will open doors for growth and development in the state.
“Let me use this opportunity to congratulate you (Rochas) on your birthday…young man, where I was very powerfully represented and for your feat in bringing some of the significant figures from the African continent”, said Odigie-Oyegun
“I welcome you to the sixth of the series of our consultative meetings which has proved to be extremely useful not only in stabilizing the party but also contributing immensely towards handling various challenges that have appeared before us as a nation and as a people.
“The meeting got so productive that we decided at last meeting to bring in our National Assembly leaders to joins us in the deliberations which I have said earlier have been found to be very productive and useful indeed. I thank you for coming to this first meeting since the return of our dear President for his medical leave.
“On your behalf, I want to formally welcome him and thank the Almighty God for the wonderful healing that has been performed because since he came back there has been no question at all”, he stated.
Those at the meeting included the Govs. Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Godwin Obaseki (Edo) and Abdullahi Jibrilla Bindo (Adamawa) who was attending the meeting for the first time. Deputy Governors of Ondo, Kano, Kogi and Nasarawa states were also in attendance.