Fresh facts have emerged how Owerri zone, (Imo East Senatorial District), is the most marginalized geo political zone in South East Nigeria.
Findings by INNONEWS show that since 1999 democracy returned to the country, Owerri zone has only occupied the governorship seat of Imo state for seven months.
Emeka Ihedioha, a former deputy speaker of the House of representatives, was barely seven months in office, when the Supreme Court sacked him as governor of Imo State and replaced him with Senator Hope Uzodimma.
Records show that Okigwe zone in Imo State, also, has produced a governor for the state for four years, while Orlu zone has gone for 20 years on the governorship seat of the state.
In Abia State, all the three geo political zones, Abia North, Abia Central, and Abia South, in order of rotation produced Governors Orji Uzor Kalu, T.A Orji and Okezie Ikpeazu respectively and they served for 8 years each.
The current governor, Alex Otti, in line with order of rotation, is from Abia North.
The scenario is the same in Ebonyi, Enugu and Anambra States.
In Ebonyi, all the three zones, Ebonyi North, Ebonyi Central and Ebonyi South produced Governors Sam Egwu, Martin Elechi and Dave Umahi respectively. They all stayed in office for eight years, with the current governor, Francis Nwifuru, coming from Ebonyi North, in line with rotation of the office of the governor of the State.
Enugu State also towed similar route, Enugu East, Enugu Central, and Enugu North, prroducing Governors Chimaroke Nnamani, Sullivan Chime and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi respectively. They were all in office for 8 years each.
The current governor, Peter Mbah is Enugu East, kick starting a fresh rotation of the governorship of the state among the three zones.
In Anambra State, the only distortion to the number of years each of the three geo political zones, Anambra South, Anambra Central, Anambra North, had, was the judgement of the Supreme Court, which removed Governor Chris Ngige and replaced him with Peter Obi.
Both Obi and Ngige are from Anambra Central zone. While Ngige was two years in office when the Supreme Court struck, Peter Obi, his successor, spent eight years in office, thus giving Anambra Central 10 and half years of the governorship of Anambra State.
Other zones- Anambra South and Anambra North produced Governors Chinwoke Mbadinuju and Willie Obiano respectively and they spent 8 years in office each.
In Imo , this newspaper observed that there is a disjointed rotation of the office of the governor of the State.
Imo West has produced Governors Achike Udenwa, Rochas Okorocha and Hope Uzodimma for 20 years, with the latter seeking re election in the November 11, 2023 governorship election.
According to Owerri Peoples Front, OPF, led by Ebere Chukwuemeka, the group said “it is only in Imo State, there is huge experience of unfairness in the Charter of Equity. Owerri zone (Imo East) has been shortchanged in the governorship of Imo State”
However, the Imo State Council Of Elders, had in an attempt to end the unbalance in rotation of the governorship of the State, initiated the Imo Charter of Equity, which approved and endorsed the rotation of the governorship among the three zones in the State, at the expiration and completion of the second term of the current governor, Hope Uzodimma.