If Imo people are serious about changing the trajectory of their state in 2027, then they must first change their mindset. The obsession with zoning and the so-called Charter of Equity has become a dangerous distraction — one that threatens to hand our future over to mediocrity yet again.
We must ask ourselves: will zoning build our roads? Will the Charter of Equity secure our communities from bandits and kidnappers? Will it improve our schools, hospitals, or create jobs for our young people? The answer is an obvious and resounding no.
It is both unacceptable and shameful that as the clock ticks toward 2027, the loudest conversations are not about competence, vision, or ideas, but about whose “turn” it is. This is politics at its most self-serving — politics that rewards geography over ability.
Imo deserves better. We cannot gamble the destiny of over five million citizens on political roulette simply because some politicians have made zoning their meal ticket. Our state needs a competent, credible leader with the vision, courage, and capacity to tackle our challenges head-on.
In 26 years of unbroken democracy in Nigeria and in Imo State, we should have learned that capacity and competence must come before political convenience. It should not matter where the next governor comes from or which political party they belong to. What matters is what they can do — and how they intend to do it.
We must look for a humane, God-fearing leader with a deep understanding of our state’s problems and, more importantly, the solutions to them. The 2027 election is not a coronation for a “zone.” It must be a referendum on who is most capable of governing.
Our next governor must understand that security is non-negotiable. Imo has bled enough. From rural villages to urban centers, insecurity has crippled livelihoods and driven fear into the hearts of residents. Any leader who cannot guarantee safety is not fit to govern.
Education must also be rebuilt from the ground up. Our children deserve more than dilapidated classrooms and underpaid teachers. An educated population is the foundation for a prosperous state, and yet, this sector has been criminally neglected.
The same urgency must be applied to healthcare. Imo’s hospitals have become places where people go to die, not to heal. Revamping the health sector is not optional — it is a moral responsibility.
Infrastructure development must be relentless — roads, power supply, and water systems must be restored and expanded. This is not about ribbon-cutting ceremonies for show; it’s about real, functional projects that improve lives.
Human capital development must also be at the heart of governance. If we fail to equip our people with skills, technology access, and economic opportunities, we will continue to import poverty and export our best minds.
Zoning, in its current form, has become a smokescreen for mediocrity. It allows underqualified politicians to hide behind tribal sentiments while offering nothing in return. Imo people must not fall for this trick again.
Leadership failures in Imo have never been because zoning was ignored. They have always been because voters settled for candidates without competence, integrity, or vision. Origin does not guarantee performance, and history is littered with proof.
The next governor of Imo must have the courage to take on vested interests, make difficult decisions, and be accountable to the people — not to political godfathers.
In 2027, Imo must choose competence over zoning, vision over empty promises, and courage over compromise. Anything less would not just be a mistake — it would be a betrayal of the state’s future.
