By Basheer MS Uwakwe
The demand by the Owerri Zone Consultative Assembly is not noise. It is not a bargaining chip. It is a clear, legitimate, and long-overdue call for justice, equity, and political survival. At the heart of that demand stands one name that refuses to be silenced, Hon. Osita Opara (Itoli of Mbaitoli).
Let’s speak plainly: if the All Progressives Congress (APC) is serious about winning the Owerri Senatorial seat in 2027, then the party must stop gambling with sentiment and start acting with strategic clarity. And that clarity points unapologetically to Hon. Osita Opara.
THE REALITY APC MUST FACE
The opposition is not sleeping. The battlefield is already crowded with formidable names:
Prince Eze Madumere of PDP, Dr. Chima Amadi of APP, Hon. Uche Onyeagocha of ADC
These are not pushovers. They are seasoned political actors with structures, visibility, and reach. Any miscalculation by APC will hand them victory on a platter.
Now the question is simple: Who within APC can stand toe-to-toe with these contenders and win convincingly?
The answer remains Osita Opara.
ZONING IS NOT A SUGGESTION, IT IS A MORAL OBLIGATION
The principles of zoning and rotation of power are not decorative theories; they are the backbone of political stability in Imo State. Mbaitoli has waited. Mbaitoli has endured. Mbaitoli has remained loyal even when repeatedly sidelined.
To ignore Mbaitoli again is not just politically insensitive, it is dangerously provocative.
Hon. Osita Opara represents that long-denied inclusion. He embodies the cry of a people who have watched others take their turn while they remain in the shadows. APC must not pretend it does not hear that cry.
A GRASSROOTS GENERAL, NOT A PAPER CANDIDATE
Osita Opara is not one of those politicians manufactured in boardrooms and imposed through backdoor arrangements. He is a grassroots mobilizer, a field-tested leader, and a man whose political strength is anchored in the people, not in empty endorsements.
His acceptance cuts across wards, communities, and blocs. His presence ignites confidence. His name commands loyalty. In a contest that will be decided by real voters, not elite speculation, this matters.
APC, THIS IS A MOMENT OF TRUTH
This is where the conscience of the party must speak louder than internal politics.
To the APC National Leadership and His Excellency, Governor of Imo State:
You cannot afford to get this wrong.
If APC fields a weak or politically disconnected candidate, the opposition will not struggle, they will crush. They will capitalize on internal dissatisfaction, exploit the injustice against Mbaitoli, and dismantle APC’s chances with ruthless efficiency.
But if APC fields Osita Opara, the narrative changes instantly. The party regains moral ground. The people rally. The contest becomes competitive, and winnable.
THIS IS NOT A PLEA, IT IS A WARNING ROOTED IN REALITY
Without Osita Opara flying the APC flag, the opposition will bounce on the party with ease. There will be no miracle, no last-minute rescue, no damage control strong enough to reverse the consequences of such a mistake.
But with him, APC doesn’t just participate, it fights, it connects, and it wins.
LET JUSTICE PREVAIL
The Owerri Zone Consultative Assembly has spoken. Mbaitoli has spoken. The grassroots have spoken.
Now APC must decide whether it will listen, or pay the price for ignoring a truth that is as clear as daylight.
Give Mbaitoli its due. Give the people their voice. Give APC its strongest weapon.
Give us Hon. Osita Opara.
His Eminence, Prince Basheer MS Uwakwe.
(Convener, Owerri Zone Consultative Assembly)
