Owerri Zone Leaders Killed Imo Charter Of Equity – Ikedi Ohakim
– Proffers Safer Roadmap
Following agitations from the two senatorial zones of Owerri and Okigwe of Imo State over the hegemonic grip of Governorship seat for over two decades by Orlu Zone, despite Imo Charter of Equity, the former Governor of Imo State, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, has come hard on Owerri zone leaders, accusing them of killing the rotational principle in the State.
The fiery and cerebral Politician made the accusation on Monday, September 18, 2023, while addressing the newsmen at his Owerri Green Court.
He insisted that the first Civil Governor of Imo State, Chief Achike Udenwa, after decades of Praetorian regimes, sagaciously kept to the agreement reached on how power should be rotated among the three Senatorial zones of the state.
According Ohakim in his 500 word letter to the people of Imo people, he said the major political parties, which were the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) and All Peoples Party (APP), also abided by the political rotational contract by fielding candidates from the Orlu Zone.
He recalled that it was an Owerri candidate who won PDP ticket but was sacrificed because of the Imo Charter of Equity and the consensus of the leaders across political leanings. According to him, the first shot at the agenda was achieved, even as Udenwa won and completed 8 years of Orlu slot.
Continuing, he said Achike Udenwa despite the challenges in the polity utilised his power as the Governor to ensure that power moves to another zone, which was Okigwe zone and the pendulum swung to Ikedi Ohakim, who only steered the affairs of the State for one term between 2007 and 2011.
Historically speaking, Ohakim narrated how the people of Owerri zone totally lost their patience and wanted power at all cost, when Okigwe zone still had another 4 years.
He relived his ordeal in the hands of some politicians from Owerri zone who had to stand against him, which also culminated in his ouster.
Admittedly, Ohakim said some political blocs in Owerri zone did not like some of his actions, which were visionary. He particularly narrated his squabbles with the people of Ngor-Okpala who kicked against the former Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, who was vying for the House of Representatives seat for the third term. He said, “I saw the bigger picture of positioning the State at the National level, which later came to fruition. “A win-win for Ndi Imo,
Ohakim said, “Even if it was not me, the consensus could have chosen another candidate for Imo Governorship seat from Okigwe zone.”
Owerri zone, which was in control of one of the front line political parties sold it to an Orlu man, Chief Rochas Okorocha who in turn promised to do only one term in the Office, a promised that would later be violated, and predictably, too.
While welcoming the re-invocation of the spirits of Imo Charter of Equity, he picked holes from the resolve of some people who authored where the pendulum swings when the rotational principle begins afresh.
He counseled that Imo people must go back and find out where the rain started beating them before redirecting their political compass that will lead the state to egalitarian power sharing system that will beget a more cohere and progressive Imo State.
Proffering a safer roadmap towards achieving a balance of power in the State, Ohakim advised all and sundry to support Senator Hope Uzodimma’s second term bid come November 11, 2023. He said such adoption would only give the Governor the gusto to use influence available to him as a Governor to recouple disintegrated parts of Imo Charter of Equity to make it whole again.
