The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Imo State is facing a crisis as stakeholders ignore the Imo Charter of Equity, which ensures fair representation and zoning of political positions in the State.
In practice, the Imo Charter of Equity means that political positions such as governorship, chairmanship, and other elective offices across the State are rotated among the three geo political zones (Owerri, Okigwe, and Orlu) and even further rotated among the various blocks within each zone.
INNONEWS observed that this is not the case in the ruling party as protest letters have flooded the party, accusing chieftains in some local governments of attempts to impose aspirants and disregard zoning arrangements ahead of the local government primaries.
In Ohaji/Egbema LGA, stakeholders protested against the alleged attempt to drag the Chairmanship position to Egbema block, violating the zoning arrangement between Ohaji and Egbema blocks.
The group accused a former federal lawmaker, Nana GoodLuck Opiah, of trying to drag the Chairmanship position to his Egbema block, an allegation he has however denied.
The Ohaji Consultative Forum (OCF) staged a protest to the Government House, Owerri, arguing that it was the turn of Ohaji block to produce the next Chairman of the Council.
They pointed out that Egbema block had continuously occupied the position since 2019 and that the current Sole Administrator of the Council is from Egbema.
In Nkwere LGA, stakeholders demanded fair and equitable distribution of political positions between Nkwere block A and B.
A stakeholder from the Council area, Everest Nwadike, pointed out that the current member representing the Council in the State House of Assembly, Chisom Ojukwu, is from Nkwere block A.
He argued that for equity and fair play, the Chairmanship position of the Council should come from block B.
From the Oru clan, a group condemned the marginalization of people from Oru north, maintaining that it was the turn of the block to produce the next Chairman of the Council.
They stated that it was wrong for the immediate past Sole Administrator of the Council, Willie Okoliegwo, to contest again, having served for four years.
The same allegation was leveled against the Apex Leader of APC in Mbaitoli LGA, Marcellinus Nlemigbo, over an alleged move to zone the Chairmanship position to Mbieri, his own political block.
Efforts to speak to officials of the party in the State were futile as at the time of filing this report, but an unarmed source told this newspaper that the party will look into their complaints, though he stated some of the complainants are not genuine party members.
State Chairman of the party, Mac Donald Ebere had consistently assured that there were will be no imposition of candidates as the party would hold a free and transparent primary.
