Biography of Rochas Okorocha

Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha, is the current governor of Imo state, he was born on 22 September 1962,. He is a native of Ogboko, Ideato South Local Government Area of Imo State.

 He attended Juladaco High School, Jos from 1976-1981. In 1991 He obtained Diploma in Public Administration, University of Jos, and an Advanced diploma in Public Administration 1994.

He was once President of 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.

He was a Commissioner on the Federal Character Commission and a Member of the National Constitutional Conference.

On 2 March 2013 Rochas led an APGA faction and decamped to All Progressives Congress. He was later elected by his colleague governors in the opposition as Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum.

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.

He 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.

Okorocha decamped from the PDP to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), to run as APGA candidate for Imo State Governor in the April 2011 national elections.

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. He was sworn in on 29 May 2011, and was re-elected.

He however defected to the All Progressive Congress(APC) and re-contested for the Governorship under the platform of the APC and won under a very tight race in 2015.