I can get same votes Buhari polled to become president – Okorocha

The senator representing Imo west and presidential hopeful, Rochas Okorocha, has said he has what it takes to win the presidential election for the All Progressives Congress.

Okorocha made it to the APC presidential screening in the last hours of the exercise on Tuesday, after he was able to perfect his bail conditions to leave the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Recall that the ex-Imo governor was arraigned on a 17-count charge of money laundering at a federal high court in Abuja on Monday and pleaded not guilty.

Okorocha was, however, granted bail in the sum of N500m and a surety in like sum.

Speaking on Wednesday when he featured on a programme on ARISE TV, the former Imo State Governor said he has the political influence in the north to win the presidential election.

He said, “What should occupy the APC’s mind is who can defeat the presidential candidate of the PDP. Who is the man that can pull the same kind of votes as Buhari? Who is the man that can catch that number of votes from the north?”

“Rochas Okorocha is that man the north can look at and give the votes. I’m more acceptable in the north than anywhere. I’m a darling in the north. I have relationships in the north.

“If I run for election in Adamawa state today, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar will sweat for defeat.

“I can say that because I know what I have done in Adamawa. I challenge anyone to show me what they have done in the northern part of this country. There is something to sell Rochas Okorocha in the north.”

Okorocha also said the best decision the APC can make in the selection of the party’s flagbearer is to zone the ticket to the south-east.

“The best thing for APC is to go to the south-east immediately and pick a sound candidate. If the party does this, they would have neutralised PDP’s idea on lack of justice and equity,” he said.