For years, Imolites have complained about failed leadership, broken promises, and a steady decline in governance. But as the 2027 elections approach, the question is: what do they truly expect from a new administration?
Is it enough to just lament in their bedrooms, or will Imolites rise to demand a leadership that meets their pain with purpose?
In the heart of Nigeria’s Southeast, there lies a state that once stood proud, a land rich in culture, education, intellect, and enterprise. That state is Imo State. But today, Imo State is not standing tall. She is bleeding silently. She is broken, not by war, but by years of failed promises, dashed hopes, and administrations that governed not to serve, but for their selfish interest.
Travel through the villages of Akpulu, Njaba, Nwangele, Ohaji, and even parts of Owerri West, and you will see what heartbreak looks like: roads that have become rivers, schools that have turned to ruins, health centres without nurses, and mothers giving birth on bare floors due to inadequate bed spaces. In some communities, one would think government never existed.
Imo State, one of the key states in Nigeria’s Southeast region, holds immense potential in human and natural resources. However, like many parts of the country, its progress has been hampered by inconsistent governance, inadequate infrastructure, insecurity, poor educational facilities, and a declining standard of living for the majority of its citizens.
For Imo State to achieve sustainable development and fulfil its potential as an economic and cultural hub, the government must make it a top priority to invest in infrastructural development, strengthen security, improve education, and advance the welfare of its people. As the 2027 elections inch closer, Imo State is not merely looking for another politician. She is crying for a saviour.
In 2027, Imo State does not need another politician with fake promises. Imo State needs a compassionate leader—someone who sees beyond Owerri’s roundabouts. Someone who will sit with widows in Mbaise, with farmers in Ideato, and with youths in Orlu, not to take pictures, but to listen and act on their various needs and problems. The next government needs to fill the gaps created by the current administration. And these gaps exist primarily in the following areas:
Education Sector-
Once known as an educational powerhouse, Imo State is now witnessing a disturbing decline in its public education system. Investigations reveal that many public schools in the state are structurally unfit, lacking desks, libraries, science labs, and even functional roofs. In many schools, students sit on bare floors while underpaid teachers battle low morale and resource scarcity. There have been no large-scale teacher recruitments in the state, creating a terrible ratio of teachers to students.
A brief comparison of the educational impact of Imo State with Oyo State shows that since assuming office in 2019, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has taken radical steps to democratise education. He abolished all forms of school fees in public primary and secondary schools, launched a free and compulsory basic education program, and backed it up with the distribution of books, furniture, and learning materials. Such moves have brought about an increase in the enrolment of pupils and students in the state, classrooms are being rebuilt, and more than 5,000 qualified teachers have been recruited. Even more remarkable is the integration of special-needs children and the support extended to rural communities, a clear message that no child should be left behind.
On the other hand, Imo State tells a different story. Despite lofty promises, the administration of Governor Hope Uzodinma has yet to articulate or implement a clear, impactful education policy. There is no free education program. Instead, schools often depend on parent-teacher levies to stay afloat. The result is a system that widens inequality, as many children from low-income homes are either out of school or forced into poorly managed institutions.
Reports of unpaid teacher salaries, dilapidated classroom infrastructure, and lack of instructional materials paint a grim picture. Rural communities are especially hard hit, with students learning under trees or in overcrowded, unsafe buildings. Meanwhile, many teachers complain of neglect, poor welfare, and lack of training opportunities.
As Imo State approaches another gubernatorial election season, education must become a central issue. The next governor must draw inspiration from models like Oyo State, where leadership has proven that free, quality education is both achievable and sustainable. The children of Imo deserve more than promises. They deserve classrooms with roofs, teachers with salaries, and a future that begins with learning.
Therefore, for the next administration, restoring funding, recruiting teachers, and upgrading public schools should become immediate priorities to uplift the state’s educational status.
Infrastructure: Half-Built and Half-Neglected
Governor Uzodinma’s administration has channelled resources into flagship projects such as the rehabilitation of the Owerri-Orlu and Owerri-Okigwe roads, as well as the recent Orashi Industrial Park and Free Trade Zone initiative. However, much of the state’s rural road network lies in ruin. In local government areas like Ngor Okpala, Ideato North, and Ezinihitte, roads have become impassable, stifling local trade, increasing transport costs, and isolating communities.
Gully erosion is now affecting so many sites across the state and continues to threaten homes, farmlands, and even government infrastructure, yet the state response remains minimal. Stakeholders argue that without urgent rural road rehabilitation and erosion control programs, much of Imo’s economy will remain paralysed at the grassroots level. It is therefore important for the next administration to go beyond capital city projects and target neglected rural communities, implementing erosion control and road connectivity programs statewide.
Security: A State Under Siege
From Ihube in Okigwe to Mbaitoli and Orlu, Imo State has become a hotspot for violent attacks, kidnappings, and arson. Between January and May 2025 alone, the state witnessed coordinated attacks that left dozens dead and scores of vehicles destroyed along the Okigwe–Owerri highway. Police operations have led to the deaths of multiple suspected IPOB/ESN operatives, yet communities report persistent fear and insecurity. While the Inspector General of Police deployed a Special Intervention Squad to stabilise volatile areas, critics say such federal measures cannot replace a robust, locally driven strategy. Community policing, actionable intelligence systems, and youth re-engagement are essential if Imo is to regain peace and stability.
A new administration coming in 2027 must adopt homegrown, intelligence-led approaches to ensure the protection of the lives and properties of the people of Imo State, while also addressing root causes like joblessness and political alienation.
Welfare and Healthcare: The People Left Behind
Public healthcare remains in crisis. While Uzodinma’s administration celebrated the reaccreditation of the Imo State University Teaching Hospital and launched mobile clinics, most primary health centres across the state remain ill-equipped, understaffed, and underfunded. State health insurance coverage still excludes the majority of the population, particularly those in rural and informal sectors. Furthermore, welfare conditions have also deteriorated. Civil servants complain of frozen promotions, while youth unemployment continues to fuel crime and disillusionment. Despite bold rhetoric on empowerment and job creation, the realities in the streets paint a different picture.
A new administration must ensure a renewed commitment to human capital development, better healthcare coverage, public service reform, and targeted job creation initiatives.
Conclusively, 2027 must mark the beginning of Imo State’s healing. Not through lofty promises, but through deliberate action and sincere leadership. The next governor must not govern from a distant lodge or behind tinted convoys. They must walk in the shoes of the common people and carry their burdens. Let 2027 be the year Imo stops bleeding. Let it be the year she rises again, dignified and determined.
Casmir Nweze
