One of the Chieftains of the APC in Imo, Chief Mike Nwachukwu has raised alarm over what is likely going to be the outcome of the 2027 Guber in Imo.
In a release signed by Nwachukwu himself and made available to Lead, he called on the people of Owerri Zone and Okigwe Zones to form a political alignment to be able to succeed Uzodinma.
According Nwachukwu,if Owerri and Okigwe Zones fail to agree and produce a common front, an Orlu person with their numerical strength would still succeed Uzodinma
RE: THE IMO CHARTER OF EQUITY (2.0)
My Compliments!
On March 3, 2024 I penned and caused to be published an article on The Imo Charter of
Equity (2.0) further to the 2027 / 28 governorship election in which article I summed up the
need for Owerri Zone and Okigwe Zone to come together and dialogue with the objective of
working together towards making sure that against the background of the fact that by the time
H.E. Dist. Senator Hope Uzodinma completes his second tenure, Orlu Zone would have
occupied the Governorship Seat for Twenty Four (24) years out of Twenty Eight (28), the next
Governor will come from either Owerri or Okigwe Zone. As you may have been aware, I also
took the step of formally forwarding to The Imo State Council of Elders the said article vide a
letter dated April 2, 2024 in which letter I offered a “TEMPLATE” on the resolution of the
looming political crisis in Imo State as a result of the contest between Owerri Zone and Okigwe
Zone for the Governorship Seat.
It is clear to me that I stirred up a lot of emotions in Imo State in general and amongst not a
few persons from Owerri Zone in particular, when I, in my article created a window of
suggestion that it may well be that onye Okigwe Zone will succeed the present Governor as
virtually most political leaders of Owerri Zone are of the expectation that it is the “TURN OF
OWERRI ZONE” and therefore expect every Owerri Zone person to fall in line. This, in my
candid opinion is not how this thing will work out! However unassailable our argument(s)
is(are), we have just nine (9) out of twenty seven (27) L.G.A’s and therefore cannot by
ourselves make a governor
Another clear reality which we must “APPRECIATE” no matter how bitter it is, is that Okigwe
Zone has very serious concerns and also believe they have “VERY UNASSAILABLE”
arguments why we should concede to them and allow them to complete their truncated twoterm tenure in the true spirit of The Imo Charter of Equity. In a well-publicized letter to The
Imo State Council of Elders, Okigwe Global League ostensibly writing on behalf of nde
Okigwe Zone articulated and conveyed their position. However, just like Owerri Zone, Okigwe
Zone do not have the “NUMBERS” to make a governor themselves with their six (6) L.G.A’s.
I challenge the reader particularly those of us from Owerri Zone to interrogate the reasons
offered by nde Okigwe Zone to justify their demand to be availed the first shot come the 2027
Governorship election. This will help prepare us for the eventual engagement with them as is
the nature of politics!
As we examine the options open to Owerri Zone toward the realization of the Owerri Zone
agenda, we must without any prodding from anybody or group play for ourselves and on
ourselves the role of “THE DEVIL’S ADVOCATE” and ask ourselves the following questions:
- If I am from Okigwe Zone and championing the Okigwe Zone agenda what would
be my appropriate strategy in the face of a rampaging Owerri Zone with Nine (9)
L.G.A’s against my Six (6) L.G.A’s? To answer this question, we must put
ourselves in the mind of onye Okigwe Zone and think as he would under the
circumstance! - As nde Owerri Zone, if for any conceivable reason, we are not able to clinch
the “almighty governorship seat”, would we rather nde Okigwe who are
clamoring for another term of four years or would we rather nde Orlu Zone, who
are on the throes of being on the seat for twenty-four (24) out of twenty-eight
(28) years since the commencement of the present democratic experience? - As onye Orlu zone, who realizes that somehow Orlu zone will emerge the
beautiful bride in the emerging contest between Owerri Zone and Okigwe Zone
and who believes in The Imo Chapter of Equity, which route shall I follow so that
“power” will come back to Orlu in the shortest possible period as follows:
i. Owerri Zone (8 years) + Okigwe Zone (8 years) → 16 years wait for Orlu,
or
ii. Okigwe Zone (4 years) + Owerri Zone (8 years) → 12 years wait for Orlu.
Again, to answer this question, we must put ourselves in the in the mind of the
fair-minded onye Orlu who believes in The Imo Charter of Equity but is also
looking for the shortest possible route to get back to Douglas House and think
like he would think
- What if, I am that onye Orlu who has scant regard for Equity, Fairness & Justice
encapsulated in The Imo Charter of Equity and does not believe Orlu has to yield
to either Owerri or Okigwe Zone?
This version of onye Orlu played out in 2007 in the persons of Chief Tony Ezenna (Orange
Drugs), Chief Festus Eze Odimegwu and our present Governor, Dist. Senator Hope
Uzodinma, when regardless of the fact that Chief Achike Udenwa was just rounding off his
second term in office they contested for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) nomination and
nearly almost had it.
I had ascribed their (Orlu Zone) not being able to win the contest to what I described as the
“SUPERIOR FIRE POWER AND ORGANIZATION” of Dist. Senator Ifeanyi Araraume from
Okigwe Zone who stopped them, though was eventually denied the “spoils” of his victory by
the owner of PDP at that time.
But on a deeper reflection and interrogation of the events of that period it became clear to me
that Dist. Senator Araraume came tops for two related reasons:
i. The trio of H.E. Dist. Senator Hope Uzodinma, Chief Tony Ezenna & Chief Eze
Odimegwu who all had very deep pockets shared the Orlu votes amongst
themselves.
ii. H.E. Chief Ikedi Ohakim who is from the same Local Government Area as Dist.
Senator Ifeanyi Araraume strategically moved over to PPA and so Senator
Araraume had the votes of Okigwe Zone to himself.
If the kind of “ELITE CONSENSUS” that is existing today amongst politicians from
Orlu Zone existed then, perhaps the three Orlu Zone political champions at that
time would have decided to present one of them and pool in their deep resources,
rather than share their votes. It goes without saying that the aspirant presented
would have clearly won the PDP nomination and go ahead to become Governor
right after H.E. Chief Achike Udenwa’s eight years in office!
Again, if Chief Ikedi Ohakim hadn’t left for PPA and remained in PDP he would
have shared Okigwe Zone votes with Dist. Senator Ifeanyi Araraume, and the
aspirants from Orlu Zone would have been the beneficiaries of his presence in the
contest.
It is instructive to note that whilst Araraume came tops in the contest, our present
Governor came second, Orang
Just close your eyes for a moment and ask yourself: what if these factors noted above
did not come to bear on the PDP gubernatorial nomination contest, Senator Araraume
would not have won the primary and our present Governor would have become
Governor not in 2020, but in 2007 after Chief Achike Udenwa from the same Zone as
he had been Governor for eight years!!!
Anybody who thinks that this version of onye Orlu zone is not present in our body politic today
should ask Oyii Bathos Nwadike, who has fired the first salvo of Isu Clan’s resurgimento
expressed in their claim to the governorship seat. Better still, you may ask the duo of Dist.
Senator Osita Izunaso and Chief Uche Nwosu (H.E. Rochas Okorocha’s son-in-law who
mounted a VERY ROBUST campaign for the 2019 governorship election as AA candidate
but lost narrowly to Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, whose victory was later to be overturned by the
Supreme Court in favour of our present Governor, Dist. Senator Hope Uzodinma). Both Dist.
Senator Osita Izunaso and Chief Uche Nwosu are said to be warming up for the governorship
contest in addition to a few other fellows with “deep pockets” from the Zone.
Given that “today” there is somewhat of an “Elite Consensus” in Orlu given that most of
the key political actors / actresses are in one “basket” and given their renewed “audacious”
disposition, they may well present one key aspirant to avoid the mistake of multiple candidates
in 2007, hoping that Owerri & Okigwe Zones would never come together.
Under the circumstance, the only option open to Owerri and Okigwe Zones who both claim
should he given “the first right of shot” at the governorship seat is to disappoint those who
think they will never come together, and actually work together, reason out their
differences, understand these differences, respect their respective arguments and
genuinely evaluate these arguments.
However, it happened, the mistake of 2011 must never be allowed to re-occur. Perhaps, if
there was leadership consensus among the Owerri Zone political elite and we gave a deep
thought to the consequences of the massive support Owelle Rochas Okorocha received from
Owerri Zone then, the political history and narrative of Imo politics may have taken a new
turn.
I had in my article offered a template that would guide us through this proposed engagement
with Okigwe Zone equal partners with a potential for a VOTE BY SECRET BALLOT to resolve
the question if there is no resolution through a frank discourse. I am pleased to present
excerpts of my letter to The Imo State Council of Elders that put forth the Template hereunder:
“After exploring the issues surrounding the Charter of Equity and putting it in its proper
historical perspective and context, I came to the conclusion that the way forward would be for
very credible stakeholders from Owerri Zone and Okigwe Zone in equal numbers regardless
of the number of Local Government Areas each Zone has, to come together, rub minds, politic
amongst themselves, even fight amongst themselves, present their respective arguments and
positions and come up with a common position on which of the two Zones will take the first
shot.
I argued that it therefore behoves on the key players in Owerri Zone and Okigwe Zone to
come together, lock themselves up in a room advance all the arguments they can, and come
up with a unified position and formula for working together whilst carrying the leadership of
Orlu Zone along.
Between the two Zones, I proposed the convocation of Bi-Partisan 30 Wise Men & Women
to x-ray the issues and come up with a position as follows:
DESCRIPTION NO.
Each of the 6 LGA’s of Okigwe
Zone will send in 2 delegates
12
Each of the 9 LGA’s of Owerri
Zonewill send in 1 delegate
9
The 2 Federal Constituencies in
Mbaise / Ngor-Okpala will send in
1 additional delegate. Since the
three LGA’s of Mbaise already has
1 delegate each, it is
recommended that the additional
delegate should come from NgorOkpala to give them an added
sense of belonging and
recognition.
1
Owerri Federal Constituency will
send in 1 additional delegate
1
Mbaike Federal Constituency will
send in 1 additional delegate
1
Three members of the Clergy from
Okigwe Zone (One Catholic / One
Anglican / One Pentecostal)
3
Two members of the Clergy from
Owerri Zone (One Catholic / One
Anglican / One Pentecostal)
3
Total 30
Notice that regardless of the fact that Okigwe Zone has 6 LGA’s they will have equal
representation with Owerri Zone in the Committee of Wise Men / Women. This is very
deliberate and is intended to engender a feeling of inclusiveness and adequate level playing
ground between the brother – zones.
After exhaustive discussions on the key question of which zone goes first, they will if need be
put the question to vote. I do not expect an unanimity of position but the majority will have the
day.
To protect the integrity of the process, voting will be by secret ballot and will be organized and
supervised by the members of Clergy there-present who will not vote.
In the event that there is a tie (12-12) they will try again and again and again until there is a
majority. If after four sessions there is still a tie, we may avail the sitting Governor the benefit
of casting the tie-breaker after each group would have exhaustively presented their
arguments to the Governor.
At the end of the exercise the 30 Wise Men / Women will engage our compatriots from Orlu
Zone and communicate them formally on behalf of the two Zones, which Zone between
Owerri and Okigwe is taking the turn to occupy our revered Douglas House come 2027!”
Rather than vilify me as one unidentified “hack” who called himself Maxwell Obinna did in the
April 11, 2024 edition of Horn Newspaper, and yet another did in thenationonlineng.net
publication of April 28, 2024, anybody who has a superior thought process, argument and
template should present same for consideration and discussion! Such fellows should be men
enough to identify themselves and join issues with me in the public space rather than hide
behind a mask to attack my person instead of addressing the issues I raised.
Ironically, some of the key persons who are providing the intellectual framework for the Owerri
Zone Governorship Project ‘2027 via the Imo Harmony Project (IHP) also worked for the
governorship ambition of Dist. Senator Athan Achonu from Okigwe Zone in the November
11, 2023 Governorship election and provided the intellectual resource that crystallized into a
well thought out Agenda for Senator Achonu
What if the Senator won and became Governor? What would have become the configuration
of Imo Harmony Project (IHP) today? I guess we would have reconciled and resigned
ourselves into waiting for eight years or put up a fight against him after his first term? Alright!
Would it surprise you or anybody, if at that time some elements from our Zone join forces with
Orlu Zone to wrestle power from him and make onye Orlu Zone the Governor!
However, in a twist of faith, on the contrary, Prof. Vitalis Ajumbe who is today vilified, perhaps
more than I am, single handedly introduced, packaged and navigated Retired Major-General
Ogunewe’s Owerri Zone Governorship project in the Labour Party in the said election for
which Athan Achonu became the Party’s Flag Bearer. As we all know Ogunewe is from
Ezinihitte Mbaise L.G.A. of Owerri Zone!
A lot of our people who have engaged me on this subject and on my article “incognito” have
unabashedly told me and argued that the Governor promised to handover to onye Owerri
Zone (in fact onye Owerri Federal Constituency) at the end of his term.
Well, I am a student of Political History and so the question I have asked, is what does history
tell us about transfer of power in Imo State? Which Governor in Imo state has successfully
determined his successor in Imo State? What does the 2007 PDP Governorship process that
produced Dist. Senator Ifeanyi Araraume tell and teach us?
H.E. Dist. Senator Hope Uzodinma has the record of being the first Governor in Nigeria to be
declared as having come fourth position in a general election but eventually became Governor
after the Supreme Court agreed with him that his valid votes from various polling units across
Imo State were not added to his vote tally. And so, he may well break the jinx of Governor’s
in Imo State not being able to determine their successor. But should we not be pragmatic
enough and help him by effectively and respectfully engaging our Okigwe Compatriots and
using the said Governor’s promise as one of our bargaining chips?
If indeed, the Governor, true to the claim by some of us will hand over to onye Owerri Zone,
do we really think, Okigwe Zone will rollover because the Governor has said so? If the tables
were turned, and it is said that the Governor said he will hand over to onye Okigwe, will nde
Owerri rollover because the Governor said? Did we all rollover in 2018 / 2019 because H.E.
Owelle Rochas Okorocha said it will be his son-in-law Chief Uche Nwosu? We all know what
happened to Rochas’s APC before they had to settle for AA.
The need for a sincere and structured dialogue with nde Okigwe Zone cannot be treated with
the level of levity I am seeing in nde Owerri’s body language.
In the same vein, Okigwe Zone must wake up to the reality of the need for a structured and
serious dialogue with Owerri Zone
The Promoters of Imo Harmony Project of Owerri Zone and Okigwe Global League of
Okigwe Zone should all drop their braggadocios dispositions and key into the TEMPLATE
I have offered for a ROBUST ENGAGEMENT between the two Zones as equal partners. I
am happy to note that a new organisation – Owerri Zone People’s Mandate (OZOPEM) has
emerged to champion this structured engagement with of course, the interest of Owerri Zone
uppermost in their agenda. I enjoin us all to embrace this body who in its maiden communique
committed to engaging not just Okigwe Zone but also Orlu Zone in their quest to seeing
through the Owerri Zone Governorship Project come 2027. I am a member of this organisation
and have been appointed to Head the Strategy Committee which is saddled with the task of
providing the organisation with a strategic pathway towards the realization of our agenda.
Naturally I shall present the template I developed for discussions and possible adoption with
other Committee Members and eventually present same to the general body.
The danger in becoming Zonal Champions rather than being Champions of Engagement of
the two Zones is that each Zone will go into the election politics believing it will outsmart the
other. Orlu zone will not help the two Zones to reconcile themselves. On the contrary, they
(Orlu Zone) will encourage, fuel and accentuate the battle and division and then take full
advantage of the ensuing face off to mount the saddle of one or two of the major Political
Parties, emerge their candidate and win back the price!!!
One may think and say that I am being alarmist, but this is what will happen if we are not
circumspect and when it happens what each and every one of us will be saying is “I WISH
WE LISTENED TO MPI DIKE”. Unfortunately, at that time we would be getting ready to
Swear into Office, another Orlu Zone Compatriot as Governor following which another round
of “musical chairs” will commence, but sadly most of the present “actors and actresses”
will not be around to make any meaningful contribution. Those lucky to be around will be
concerned about “other things” than “IT IS OUR TURN”.
It is on this note that I challenge the youths of Imo State in general and Owerri Zone in
particular to wake up from their slumber and take their destiny into the palm of their hands.
We are not talking of Imo State of today! We are talking about Imo State of tomorrow!! And
who does that tomorrow belong to?
The great Zik of Africa, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe; Dr. Michael Okpara; Dr. K. O. Mbadiwe; Chief
Obafemi Awolowo; Dr. Akanu Francis Ibiam; Dennis Chukude Osadebay; Sir Abubakar
Tafawa Balewa; Sir Ahmadu Bello; General Yakubu Gowon; Alfred Diette Spiff; Chief Emeka
Odimegwu Ojukwu to mention just these few were all significantly young men in their late 20’s
30’s and 40’s when they bestrode the socio-politico-economic climate of Nigeria! You too
can become!
You have to step forth and take the reins of the NARRATIVE and only when you do that,
will “your” father’s, mother’s, uncle’s and aunties who in their 60’s and above, are still
determining the socio-political trajectory of your environment, realize that they need to take
a step backwards and resign / retire themselves to playing ADVISORY ROLES and whenever
their advice is not in sync with reality “you” respectfully convey that to them and move on!!!
Please accept the assurances of my esteemed regards.
cc: Imo Harmony Project
Nzuko Owerri General Assembly
Dozie / Mezie Owerri
Ezuruezu Mbaise
Ike Ikeduru
Mbaitoli Integrity Leadership Forum
Ngor-Okpala Political Leadership Forum
Owerri Zone Council of Ndi Eze
From the desk of:
Mike Nwachukwu
Mpi Dike Egbelu Obube
Obiri Mpi Dike
Umuokpaa Egbelu Obube Autonomous Community
Owerri North L.G.A., Imo State
Tel.: +234 816 978 0426, 812 226 6011
E-mail: zemam2002@live.com, zemam2002@gmail.com
July 8, 2024
Nde Owerri Zone
Imo East Senatorial District
Imo State
Nde Owerri Zone Ndewo Nu.
