More than 100,000 Imolites at home and in the diaspora have endorsed a petition calling on former Imo State governor, Ikedi Ohakim, to return to the governorship race.
Various Ohakim support groups made the claim at a special birthday event held in Owerri, Imo State capital, to mark Ohakim’s birthday, where they described the former governor as a leader whose experience and record in office remain relevant to the state’s political future.
In a statement adopted by Team Ohakim and signed by Capt. Bishop C. Johnson, Director-General of the Bring Back Ohakim (BBO 2027) organisation, the groups said the campaign for Ohakim’s return was not driven by nostalgia but by what they described as his record of performance, competence, experience and integrity.
The statement said Ohakim’s administration introduced the “New Face of Imo” agenda, which it said focused on social, economic, environmental, institutional and infrastructural transformation. It listed the Clean and Green Initiative, establishment of IROMA, the Imo Freeway concept, ring roads, municipal transport system, school rehabilitation, teacher recruitment, scholarships, agricultural reforms, healthcare expansion and tourism development among the administration’s achievements.
The groups also highlighted the former governor’s 10,000 Graduate Employment Programme, describing it as a merit-based initiative that provided jobs and restored hope to thousands of young people. They further credited his administration with initiatives aimed at developing the state’s oil and gas sector through ISPDC and ISOPADEC, as well as the creation of institutions intended to promote continuity, accountability and sustainable development.
On security, the groups said Ohakim’s administration implemented the New Face of Imo Security Agenda and Operation Festival, which they said strengthened public safety through intelligence-led policing, community vigilance and inter-agency collaboration. They also cited investments in patrol vehicles, Armoured Personnel Carriers, communication equipment and logistics.
The support groups argued that Ohakim’s experience and relationships within the security community placed him in a strong position to contribute to efforts to restore peace, public confidence and stability in Imo State. They said his return would also advance what they described as the “naturally evolving Imo Charter of Equity”, arguing that Okigwe Zone should be allowed to complete its “rightful tenure” before power rotates to Owerri Zone.
“Supporting Dr. Ohakim is therefore not merely a political choice. It is a commitment to restoring justice under the naturally evolving Imo Charter of Equity, allowing Okigwe Zone to complete its rightful tenure before power rotates peacefully to Owerri Zone,” the statement said.
The birthday celebration also featured a humanitarian intervention, with the organisers paying ₦2 million towards settling hospital bills for vulnerable and indigent patients at the Imo State Specialist Hospital in Owerri. Several beneficiaries and participants expressed appreciation, while former Chief of Staff, Government House, Owerri, Sir Emma Ohakim said the essence of the celebration was to mark the former governor’s birthday by reaching out to vulnerable people and touching lives. One of the beneficiaries, Evelyn Chibueze, also thanked Ohakim for the payment.
The event was attended by representatives of several Ohakim support groups, including the Ohakim Vanguard, Lifelong Ambassadors for Ikedi Ohakim, Ohakim Personified Group, 10,000 Jobs Beneficiaries Movement and the 2011 Councillorship Forum, among others. The organisers reaffirmed their support for Ohakim and prayed for his continued good health, wisdom and strength, while describing him as a leader whose legacy and experience could still contribute to the future of Imo State.
