Former governor of Imo State Rochas Okorocha and senator representing Imo west, has announced his intention to make education in Nigeria free and compulsory if elected president.
He made this known while formally declaring his interest to run for office of the president at a press conference in Abuja on Monday.
“We have 14 million out-of-school children. I will declare free education. It is something I have done,” Okorocha insists.
In what he christened the New Nigeria, Okorocha seeks to also tackle the issues of poverty and security passionately.
“I have no other country that I can call my country apart from Nigeria.
“I am not in politics for what I can get, I am in politics for what I can give. I price honour more than life and glory more than wealth.
“My heart bleeds because of that boy in Maiduguri or Katsina that cannot go to school. I’m not satisfied when poverty becomes the order of the day. Many countries have tagged us as the poverty capital of the world, I don’t not agree.
“The truth is that we are a great nation and time will come when it will be made manifest.
“To the youths, If I become your president, I will handover to the next generation. I’m not not-too-young-to-run and not too old to run, I’m only 57.
The serving Senator who promised to reduce the number of representatives at the National Assembly said the country needs a president who can create wealth.
“This nation is in dire need of someone that can create wealth, someone who can make money for this country. I will create wealth, I sold oranges – my wealth is clean, go and check my CCB [forms],” he said.
“Our biggest problem is hunger, I will address that in the new Nigeria.
“Please permit to be your pilot for a new Nigeria, as your pilot there might be small turbulence, no problem, Captain Rochas is in command.”
Okorocha said uniting Nigerians across ethnic and religious divides would be his paramount goal.
He pledged to create an enabling economy, where productive activities and job creation would be the order of the day.
Rochas who prides himself as one of the four founders of the All Progressive Congress (APC) will be seeking to be president at this fourth attempt.
