“Several Groups Agitating For Owerri Zone Guber, Recipe For Confusion,”
“Owerri Zone Groups Can Merge Like APC That Produced President In 2015″, Says Owerri Zone Mandate
One of the groups in the crusade of an Imo governor of Owerri zone extraction in 2027, Owerri Zone Mandate (0ZM) has called on leaders of several political groups in the zone agitating for an Imo governor of Owerri zone extraction to unite and emulate Orluzurumee, the apex socio-political organization in Orlu zone.
The call was made by the Convener of the group, Ernest Onukwugha, during an exclusive interview with INNONEWS in Owerri.
Onukwugha highlighted the exemplary steps taken by Orluzurumee, which recently reconciled two warring factions led by Dr. Chime Nzeribe and Chief Emeka Diwe.
This reconciliation, according to him, facilitated by the Orlu Council of Elders, led to the election of new executives, with Prince Ugochukwu Nzekwe emerging as the President General.
“What Orlu leaders did is a rare feat. They demonstrated belief in the capacity and ability of a united Orluzurumee to effectively champion their political cause and direction. This is why Orlu zone remains a dominant force in Imo politics. Like a vehicle they know when to accelerate and when to apply the brakes” he said.
Onukwugha urged groups in Owerri zone, such as Imo Harmony Project (IHP), Owerri Zone Political Leaders Forum (OZOPOLF), and Owerri Zone Awareness Coalition (OZAC), and others to set aside their differences if any and form a unified front.
“Owerri zone leaders should take a cue from Orluzurumee and consolidate their efforts under one umbrella organization if they really want to produce Uzodimma’s successor ,” he said.
Recalling past political missteps of Owerri zone, Onukwugha lamented how the fragmented positions of Owerri zone leaders had paved the way for other zones to dominate the governorship seat of Imo State.
“Despite the existence of the Imo Charter of Equity, it is not a guarantee or a law that power will seamlessly shift to Owerri zone at the end of Governor Uzodimma’s tenure. Okigwe and Orlu zones are constitutionally bound to also jostle for the governorship in 2027″ he warned.
He criticized the proliferation of groups in Owerri zone, all clamoring for the same goal but from divergent standpoints, describing it as “a recipe for chaos and confusion.”
According to him, “If there is no united front from Owerri zone when the time comes, other zones will exploit this disunity or lacuna” he said.
“Owerri Zone Leaders Individualistic, Egocentric”
Onukwugha attributed the challenges facing Owerri zone towards attaining political power to a lack of communal approach.
“Owerri zone leaders are overly individualistic and most times egocentric.They have always failed to adopt a collective stance on critical issues. Unlike Orlu zone, which demonstrates strong will and passion to stay united, Owerri zone is fragmented by so much personal interests,” he stated.
He emphasized the urgent need for Owerri zone leaders to abandon the “entitlement mentality” of the Imo governorship in 2027.
“This is the time for Owerri zone to build a solid, powerful united group that speaks with one voice and has the capacity to navigate the political interests of the zone effectively, We, at Owerri Zone Mandate are ready to be part of this arrangement” Onukwugha advised.
He continued “How many Orlu and Okigwe leaders are really backing Owerri zone for 2027 Governorship. None to the best of my knowledge. But I can tell you for free that some Owerri zone leaders are neck deep in the guber aspirations of some top politicians from Okigwe and even Orlu zones. They have the right to freely associate, but not to the detriment of the collective interest of the zone.
“This is so because Owerri zone political structure is so fragmented and loose, with clear absence of a united and formidable group that can rein in such recalcitrant leaders” he said.
Drawing an analogy from national politics, Onukwugha said that these groups in Owerri zone could merge in a manner similar to the merger of ANPP, ACN, APGA, and CPC, which formed the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“That merger created a potent political force like the APC that successfully ousted the PDP-led government in 2015. Owerri zone can replicate this to become a formidable political force ahead of the 2027 guber election and produce a governor the way the APC produced a President despite the odds” he added.
