Former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has offered his assessment of public perceptions of President Bola Tinubu in the Southeast, comparing them with sentiments towards the late President Muhammadu Buhari during his administration.
Okorocha made the remarks during an appearance on Channels Television's Politics Today, where he discussed political developments in Imo State, the relationship between state and federal leadership, and the outlook ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the former governor, public dissatisfaction with a state administration should not automatically be interpreted as opposition to the president at the federal level.
Explaining his position, Okorocha said disagreements within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State became particularly pronounced during Buhari's administration.
"You must understand that when we are talking about APC in Imo State, the time we had issues as APC was when Buhari was in government," he said.
Okorocha Explains His View of Regional Sentiments
The former governor argued that public reactions towards different political leaders should be considered separately rather than treated as expressions of the same opinion.
"In fact, the hate for Buhari can't be compared to the imagery hate for Tinubu in Imo State or in the whole Southeast," Okorocha said during the interview.
He cautioned against interpreting dissatisfaction with state-level leadership as evidence of opposition to the president.
"So people must be careful not to mistake a transferred hate or transferred protest for what they don't want as a governor to mean that it's a protest against Tinubu," he stated.
His comments reflect his assessment of political sentiment in the region. However, the views of individual political figures do not necessarily represent the opinions of all residents of Imo State or the wider Southeast.
Comments on Tinubu's Relationship With the Southeast
Okorocha also spoke about Tinubu's relationships with people of Igbo origin, arguing that the president had maintained friendships with Igbo people during his years in Lagos.
"Tinubu has done no wrong to any Igbo man, his best friends in Lagos are Igbos," he said.
The former governor expressed confidence that his emergence as a candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District would strengthen the president's political prospects in Imo State.
"Let me tell you that, with my emergence now with this ticket, Tinubu will win in Imo State," Okorocha added.
The statement represents Okorocha's prediction about the political outlook ahead of the 2027 elections. The eventual outcome will depend on voters' preferences and other factors influencing the electoral process.
Okorocha Speaks on Legal Dispute
During the interview, Okorocha also addressed the legal dispute concerning the APC's nomination for the Imo West Senatorial District.
He urged Governor Hope Uzodimma to challenge the court's decision through the appropriate legal process.
"I challenge Uzodinma to go to appeal, when the facts have spoken you can't manipulate the law," he said.
The dispute concerns the party's nomination process and the legal procedures available for resolving disagreements over primary elections.
Any further developments will depend on the relevant legal processes and decisions by the courts.
As preparations for the 2027 general elections continue, discussions about governance, regional interests and political representation are expected to remain part of public debate across the country.
