Posted by Since the incumbent governor’s zone has held the governorship of Imo State for twenty years, the Owerri and Okigwe senatorial zones only have seven months and four years left to govern. This has prompted major stakeholders in the Owerri Senatorial Zone to criticize the charter of Equity.
Leaders in Owerri, under the auspices of the Coalition of Owerri Zone Socio-cultural Organizations and professional organisations, issued a statement to the people urging them not to accept the current attempt to limit their zone to a political dustbin in the Imo project, a copy of which was obtained by DAILY POST.
Chief Mike Ahamba, SAN; Sir Martin Opara; Olu Owerri; and eight other leaders of the zone issued a statement saying, “We stand on the CHARTER OF EQUITY which was propounded by Imo elders and founding fathers in good conscience, on the return of democracy in 1998.”
The communique stated that the people of Owerri zone as a whole agreed with all of the declaration’s criticisms of the unfair treatment of the Owerri zone and its inhabitants by the rest of the Imo political establishment.
“After a careful and detailed analysis of the state of Imo today and the current position of the Owerri man in the Imo project, we urge the governor of Imo State to rededicate himself to the return of peace and security in our State and advice perpetrators of this strange plague in our land to shield their swords,” the document continues.
We are deeply concerned by the recent spike in violence in Imo State, which has claimed the lives of dozens of innocent locals, destroyed dozens more homes, and forced thousands of Imolites to become IDPs within their own state.
In the interest of peace, equity, and fairness, we regret that “successive political actors” have continued to truncate this brotherly accord that recognized the tripod arrangement of Imo State and laid a foundation for power to rotate between the three sister Senatorial zones of Orlu, Owerri, and Okigwe.
We strongly denounce the destruction of the Nekede Zoe, an Imo cultural relic that has served the local community and visitors for decades as a place of learning, pleasure, and tourism.
“The rushed decision to destroy the monument, cart away all investments in the zoo, and propose to share the site without moving the institution to an appropriate location and transferring the zoo’s multi-billion species residents is misguided, poorly intentioned, and deceptive.
To save our children’s future and preserve our ecology, we insist that the government reconsider its decision.
For a more powerful and successful showing on 11th November, 2023, we recommend that all of the candidates from the Owerri zone for governor of Imo work together and rally around a single candidate.
According to the statement, “We restate that there will be no better way to restore equity and fairness in Imo than supporting Owerri zone to produce the next governor of Imo State come 11th November, 2023, and urge Owerri electorates to wake up from slumber and vote for any credible Owerri zone Governorship candidate.”