…Says: Governorship, not sole proprietorship of Orlu, Okigwe zones
…Demands revertion to original Charter of Equity
Ahead of the November 11, , governorship election in Imo State, the Owerri Peoples Front,OPF has appealed to the electorate to give their votes to the candidates of Owerri zone extraction as it is the turn of Owerri Zone to produce the next governor.
The group also called on Governor Hope Uzodinma of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Athan Achonu of the Labour Party (LP) and all governorship candidates from Okigwe and Orlu zones to step aside from the contest and support the zone.
The group insisted that the current attempt to make the governorship seat of the state the sole property of Orlu Zone would be resisted by the people of Owerri Zone at their polling units.
This, it said is because the Owerri people are not political slaves in a state, where they are major and a key component.
The convener of the group, Hon. Ebere Chukwuemeka (aka ABJ), lamented at a press conference in Owerri last Friday that the Owerri zone has been shortchanged for a long period over the governorship seat of the state.
He added the zone, since the return of democracy in the country in 1999, has produced a governor of the state for only seven months, while Orlu zone has occupied the governorship seat for twenty years.
“We are worried about how the Owerri zone has been shortchanged in the governorship of the state.
“Since the return of democracy in the country in 1999, Owerri Zone has only occupied the governorship seat of Imo State for seven months.
“This is unacceptable to our people and a deliberate marginalization of the good people of Owerri Zone.
“Other zones in the state, such as Orlu and Okigwe zones, have each produced three governors for the state since 1999.
“With this development, OPF asks, Where is the equity? Where is the fairplay? Has Imo state become the sole property of Orlu Zone?
“It is unthinkable that other governorship candidates from other zones are also seeking to be governor of the state, come November 11, when Owerri zone has not completed its term.
“This is an abberation and a deliberate plot to make Owerri zone the political slaves of Imo State.
“Owerri Zone cannot continue to be the weeping child of the Imo political family.
“We cannot continue to be marginalized in a state where we are a major and key component.
“We are also part of this state, and our forefathers contributed so much to the development, progress, and growth of this state.”
Ebere said the OPF, after its annual convention in Owerri, made a 10-point resolution, which, among other things, called for the reactivation of the original Imo Charter of Equity.
It noted that “the Charter of Equity was truncated in 2019, when a son of Owerri Zone, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, was removed from office by the judgment of the Supreme Court.
“Since Ihedioha from Owerri zone did complete a first term, Owerri zone should be allowed to produce the next governor of the state in 2023.
“This will ensure balance, equity, and fairness in the Imo Charter of Equity.
“The emergence of an Owerri zone governor in 2023 would truly show the seriousness of the Imo Charter of Equity,” he said.
Ebere, a former chairman of the Owerri Municipal Council, said the OPF would conduct an opinion poll for governorship candidates in the Owerri zone to determine the most acceptable to the people of the zone and Imo State.
“We want to assure you that the opinion poll will be open and transparent.
“OPF calls on the clergy, freedom fighters, traditional rulers, socio-cultural organizations, and Presidents General of communities in Owerri Zone to support an Owerri Zone governor of Imo State extraction on November 11, 2023.
He revealed that soon, a declaration by the people of Owerri zone on Imo governorship will take place at Egbu, in Owerri North LGA.
He called on “sons and daughters of Owerri zone, who are not part of the Owerri zone for Imo governor agenda, to desist from supporting other candidates from other zones and join the quest for Owerri zone to produce the next governor of the state.
“In line with the authentic Charter of Equity, Okigwe Zone should take over after Owerri Zone had completed its tenure, he said.
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