As the political clock ticks toward the 2027 Imo State governorship election, Imo-born, Abuja-based political analyst, Tony Onwuka, has called for an urgent shift in public discourse from zoning to merit, competence, and capacity.
In his article titled Imo 2027: Zoning Vs Competence, Onwuka described it as “unacceptable and shameful” that conversations ahead of the polls have been dominated by arguments over zoning and the so-called Charter of Equity.
“We are reducing the destiny of this state to a geographical bargaining chip,” he wrote.
He argued that the people of Imo must begin now to identify and rally behind a competent and credible individual with the vision and capability to effectively run the affairs of the state. We cannot continue to play political roulette with the lives of over five million citizens,” he stressed in his write up.
With 26 years of unbroken democracy in Nigeria and in Imo State, he said it was imperative for the Imo electorate to rise above narrow political interests.
“Capacity and competence should be the main yardsticks — not where a candidate comes from or which political party he or she belong to,” he insisted.
Onwuka called on Imolites to look beyond zoning and partisan sentiments, urging them to support a humane, God-fearing person with a deep understanding of the state’s myriad challenges and the solutions to them.
“We need a leader who can diagnose the root causes of our problems and deliver real results,” he noted.
On the priorities for the next administration, the analyst emphasized the need to tackle insecurity head-on, strengthen the education system, and revamp the health sector.
“If our people don’t feel safe, if our children can’t get quality education, and if our hospitals are death traps, then we have failed completely,” he warned.
Infrastructure development, he wrote, must also take center stage, with roads, power supply, and water systems restored to functional levels. He pointed out that human capital development should be a core policy focus, warning that neglecting it would continue to impoverish the state.
He further criticized political leaders who are exploiting the zoning narrative to mask their lack of vision.
“Zoning has become a smokescreen for mediocrity. It is time we stopped electing people because it is ‘their turn’ and start electing people because they can deliver.”he declared
Onwuka reminded Imolites that leadership failures in the past were not caused by the absence of zoning agreements but by the electorate settling for candidates without competence.
“History has shown us that origin does not guarantee performance,” he wrote.
According to him, the next governor must possess integrity, political will, and the courage to take tough decisions in the interest of the state.
“We need a governor who will not be beholden to political godfathers or vested interests. 2027 must be the year Imo people rewrite their political story. If we keep repeating the same mistakes, we will keep getting the same disastrous results.” he stated.
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