Okotie for president 2011

Former presidential flagbearer and Pastor of the Household of God Church, Rev. Chris Okotie is set to declare his intention to vie for the presidency in 2011.

Rev Okotie will be making his public declaration for the 2011 presidential race at a press conference billed for the Secretariat of the Fresh Democratic Party (FDP) in Lagos next Tuesday.

According to a statement made available to The Nation, the celebrated preacher will be contesting on the platform of FDP, which he co- founded and on which ticket he ran for the 2007 presidential elections.

Okotie told The Nation that he decided to run because Nigerians need to be saved from the oppression of the current ruling class.

According to him, “I believe if we had free and fair polls in 2003, this probably will be my second term, but because we have a system that is flawed ab initio it has delayed my emergence. That is the way I see it and I think those things will eventually galvanise the people into taking a stand.”

Of his chances of emrging president despite the fact that known political heavyweights are in the race, he said: “For me, I respect them and if they desire to run, all well and good. I am not concerned about who is going to run. I am only concerned about myself and I believe that when I present myself to the Nigerian people, they will see me for who I am and they will recognise that I am the one they need at this time.”

He expressed doubt over the possibility of fair polls in 2011: “As far as INEC is constituted under the superintendent of the government, we cannot have free and fair elections because the desire of incumbency to perpetuate itself is there. To my mind, the problem of INEC has never been that of personality. I respect Prof. Maurice Iwu. To my mind, he is probably one of the most diligent chairmen that INEC has ever had. I am acquainted with some of the challenges he had to face in the last two elections. I think it is statutory provision that is making INEC not to work well.

We have to change the law and make such laws that will make the organisation to subsist on its own. So, it does not matter who you put there, but as long as that person is subservient to the government of the day, there is really nothing they can do. To my mind, I think it is illogical to imagine that I will appoint somebody, pay him salary and that person will rebel against my authority. So, I think the professor, under normal circumstances, will be able to operate. I think his hands are tied because of the way INEC is constituted.”