Imo Charter of Equity: Uzodinma gives hope to Owerri for 2027

 

By Our Correspondent

 

Sequel to the anger that has trailed the administration Governor Hope Uzodinma since he commenced his first tenure as governor of Imo State, the governor may have decided to commence the healing process of the fractured Imo political order as his first tenure ends and his second tenure about to begin.

This is as the governor who last Saturday ago re-elected for a second tenure, has vowed to ensure that the state returns to the “charter of equity”, an unwritten code which provides for power rotation among the three senatorial districts in the state.

Uzodinma, a member of the APC under which he won last Saturday’s poll, disclosed this on Tuesday when members of Imo State Council of Elders visited him at the Government House Owerri.

The Imo Elders later went to Abuja on Wednesday to apologise to the president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero who was assaulted by thugs said to working for the state government and the police.

The unfortunate Owerri incident has led to a declaration of a nationwide strike by the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress (TUC) that has paralysed activities in the country. NLC and TUC called off the strike in the evening on Wednesday.

In the Imo charter of equity, there was an agreement that power must rotate among Imo East (Owerri Zone), Imo North (Okigwe Zone) and Imo West Districts (Orlu Zone).

The agreement was truncated when Rochas Okorocha emerged as governor of the state in 2011 under the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and exited office in 2019 after his second tenure.

Okorocha, who defeated the sitting governor from Okigwe Zone to emerge governor, hails from Ogboko, a community in Ideato South Council Area in Orlu Zone.

His emergence disrupted the zoning arrangement in the state which had favoured the candidate from the Okigwe zone to continue being governor to complete the zoning cycle.

Alternatively, the Owerri Zone would have been favoured to take their shot at the governorship to keep the zoning arrangement alive given that the previous governor hails from Orlu Zone.

Uzodinma, who has served for nearly four years in office, hails from Omuma, a community in Oru East Local Government Area within the Orlu Zone.

Orlu Zone has served as governor of the state for nearly 20 years since 1999. The victory of Uzodinma meant that the figure would jump to 24 years after the governor’s second tenure in January 2028.

For clarity, Okigwe Zone has served for four years while Owerri Zone served as governor for about seven months given that Emeka Ihedioha, who hails from the zone, was sacked from office by the Supreme Court on 14 January 2020, which declared Uzodinma as the validly elected governor.

Meanwhile, before last Saturday’s governorship election, the council of elders had endorsed Uzodinma for a second term, saying that Orlu Zone should be allowed to complete their turn before handing over power to the next zone.

At the meeting with Uzodinma on Tuesday, the council of elders urged the governor to ensure his administration hands over power to another senatorial district in adherence to the zoning arrangement in the state.

Responding, the governor vowed to uphold the “charter of equity” in the next governorship election in the state, explaining that the equity was intended “to remove acrimony, tension, high-level insecurity” in the state.

“When we met at our level, we convinced ourselves that situations like these happened before in other neighbouring states and what actually helped in taming the tide was the understanding that power must rotate from one senatorial district to another senatorial district.

“And I am also aware that the confidence reposed on me is very huge and I will work hard to ensure that it is not betrayed. Next governor, by the grace of God, if I am alive here as the governor, will not come from the Orlu Zone,” Uzodinma said.

We have agreed in the charter of equity document that it (the governorship position) will go to the Owerri Zone,” he stated.