…Says equity demands correction of 2011 injustice against Okigwe Zone
Political analyst and newspaper publisher, Okenze George Nkwoji, has advised politicians from Owerri Zone aspiring to succeed Governor Hope Uzodimma by 2028 to shelve the idea, insisting that the zone is not yet politically prepared. He urged such politicians to focus their ambitions on 2031, by which time, according to him, the zone would have put its house in order and resolved its leadership problems.
According to Nkwoji, Owerri Zone has “a catalogue of leaders but no structured leadership or rallying point” capable of uniting its political class.
He lamented that every community or sociopolitical group in the zone wants to produce the next governor, making it practically impossible for the zone to speak with one voice. He added that the period between now and 2027 is too short for any meaningful political reorganisation to take place.
As a way forward, Nkwoji suggested that Okigwe Zone should be allowed to complete its remaining tenure, which he said was abruptly truncated in 2011.
He argued that any discussion about the 2027 governorship election that fails to address this injustice would be unfair, unjust, and contrary to the principles of equity and natural justice.
Nkwoji made these remarks while interacting with journalists at Ulakwo, in Owerri North Local Government Area of Imo State.
Nkwoji further advocated the invocation of the doctrine of necessity if agitation over the 2027 governorship seat continues.
He said Governor Uzodimma should “end the noise” about which zone should produce his successor by adopting an executive fiat that empowers him to invoke the doctrine.
According to him, “a little autocracy, considering the circumstances surrounding Imo’s governorship aspirations for 2027, will help stabilise our democracy.”
He recalled that Owerri Zone played a major role in truncating Okigwe Zone’s second tenure in 2011, thereby disrupting the equity arrangement in the state. “Everybody knows what happened then. The issue now is the entrenchment of equity and natural justice — meaning enye ndiebe, enye ndiebe (give these people and also give these people). Okigwe Zone, through Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, should be allowed to complete their remaining tenure. That is equity, good conscience, and natural justice,” he said.
Asked why he supports Ohakim’s return, Nkwoji said the former governor was directly injured by the “wicked conspiracy” of 2011.
He added that Ohakim remains the most experienced and best suited to sustain Uzodimma’s legacies and can only serve one more term, which would pave the way for Owerri Zone in 2031.
“Another Okigwe person might want two terms, and that won’t favour Owerri Zone. Ohakim is the shortest route to Owerri’s governorship,” he said.
Explaining why he described Owerri Zone as having leaders but no leadership, Nkwoji blamed greed, rivalry, and disunity among various sociopolitical groups.
“Everyone is his own captain, and two captains cannot control one ship. In Owerri Zone, everybody wants to be in charge, yet nobody is in charge,” he lamented.
As a solution, Nkwoji urged leaders in Owerri Zone to collapse their multiple sociopolitical groups into one, align with Okigwe Zone for 2027, and reorganise ahead of 2031.
“We must be politically prudent by supporting Okigwe Zone for just one term in 2027. We can wait; it’s only four years. That will give us time for self-appraisal,” he said.
He warned that if leaders in Owerri Zone fail to unite and align with Okigwe Zone, they risk losing the governorship to Orlu Zone again.
“Waiting for four years is better than waiting for eight or more. Anything short of correcting the injustice against Okigwe Zone is not equity — it’s simply saying that might is right,” Nkwoji cautioned.
