*ADVERTORIAL*
A recent stakeholders meeting between the Captain Emmanuel Ihenacho-led Imo Harmony Project (IHP) and another group of people in Orlu zone has given insight into the former’s agenda in its quest to acquire power for the good people of Owerri zone come 2027.
The IHP seems to be preparing itself to contend with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in case the latter hesitates in handing over its governorship ticket to a fellow from the group. This is a legitimate option in political contests.
However, this attitude of the IHP to the 2027 election should sound an early warning to the ruling party, so that it does not lower its guard for moles. Key members of the IHP include a serving senator who is a member of the APC and a few political associates of Governor Hope Uzodimma.
The Ihenacho-led delegation met with members of the Orlu Elders Council, led by Professor Francis Dike, a chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and the Orlu Zurumee, led by Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie, a chieftain of the Labour Party.
Further scrutiny of those in attendance from the Orlu zone side shows clearly that there was not a single known leader of the APC or a close associate of Governor Uzodimma at that meeting. This raises questions about the IHP’s strategy and intentions.
The IHP group has a history of misadventures, including media publications claiming fake support from Orlu traditional rulers and town union presidents-general. The group’s director of strategy, Dr. Sam Amadi, also wrote an abusive newspaper article on the governor, which none of the IHP leaders condemned.
The current itinerant state-wide open political lobbying by the IHP is an affront to a sitting governor who is just in the second year of his renewed four-year term.
It is indeed preposterous that a group that claimed to have secured the support of the entire town union presidents and traditional rulers in Orlu zone has now embarked on a panic lobby mission.
The leaders of the IHP and other groups claiming to be working for the Owerri governorship project have failed to tell their people the simple truth: the 2027 governorship contest is open for all three zones – Orlu, Owerri, and Okigwe.
The Charter of Equity, which Owerri zone leaders are making a song and dance of, was breached by both Owerri and Okigwe zones at the last governorship election in November 2023.
The people of Owerri zone should be aware that they are being deceived by their so-called leaders. Ihenacho and his group have a history of working against the interests of the party they claim to belong to.
Those to pity are the good people of Owerri zone who are desirous of having the next governor of Imo State come from amongst them. Their initial challenge was that some of their leaders gave them the impression that an Imo governor of Owerri zone extraction is a fait accompli. That is the height of deceit.
The leaders of the IHP and indeed the other groups claiming to be working for the Owerri governorship project have failed to tell their people the simple truth; which is that the 2027 governorship contest is open for all the three zones – Orlu, Owerri and Okigwe.
The reason is simple. The Charter of Equity which Owerri zone leaders are making a song and dance of was breached by both Owerri and Okigwe zones at the last governorship election in November 2023.
Both zones – Owerri and Okigwe – fielded candidates to wrest power from Orlu zone. I ask: what if either of Samuel Anyanwu (of Owerri zone) or Athan Achonu (of Okigwe zone) had won the November 11 2023 governorship election, would anybody still be talking about Charter of Equity today?
I laughed the other day when I saw another delegation of the IHP group in a meeting with some Okigwe zone leaders in Abuja – after the Orlu misadventure – canvassing for the support of the zone – Okigwe. Haba! Can’t these people hear? Have Okigwe zone leaders not sounded it loud and clear that come 2027, it would insist on taking another four years to complete its tenure that was truncated in 2011 through the machinations of some leaders in Owerri zone?
I repeat the question: why has IHP embarked on a new round of ‘consultations’, after it had claimed that traditional rulers and presidents-general of town unions in both Orlu and Okigwe had endorsed the Owerri project and pledged their support? What happened to the earlier support if actually there was any?
Please, our good people of Owerri zone, shine your eyes, to borrow a popular cliché, so that you do not get further deceived by your so-called leaders.
