As preparation ahead of Imo Council poll scheduled to take place on September 21st, 2024 gathers momentum, a concerned group with the appellation of “Mbaitoli Political Awareness Coalition” has raised alarm over the alleged plan of Chief Executive Officer, Zinox Computers Chief Leo Stan Ekeh to impose one of his brothers as the Mbaitoli Council Chairman against the zoning arrangement in the area.
The group made the disclosure at a press briefing held over the weekend in Owerri. According to the coordinator of the group Comr.Nwosu Ebuka Darlington, he noted ‘’that they are no longer comfortable with the way and manner Chief Ekeh has been playing his politics in Mbaitoli over the years with selfish and clannish approaches by only considering his Ubomiri kinsmen any time the opportunity beckons on him to nominate appointees by the Government, an act which according to him has been discouraging others from doing the right thing”. “We gathered in good authority that Chief Leo Stan Ekeh is trying to use his relationship with Governor Hope Uzodinma to impose one of his brothers as Mbaitoli council chairman in the forthcoming L.G.A election against the zoning arrangement in Mbaitoli and peoples’ interest. The selfishness in him has no comparison that none of Mbaitoli sons and daughters has benefitted from him except his Ubomiri kinsmen against the impression the people have about him or he gives people out there about himself”.
“We challenge him “LEO STAN” to mention any Mbaitoli son or daughter that is working in his company “Zinox Computers” and the electoral ward he or she comes from, or any road in Mbaitoli, he graded or constructed. Not only that, all Government appointments which he attracted in the past he only considered his Ubomiri brothers namely ranging from Sole Administrators, Commissioners, Development area Coordinators, SAs, Head of service, Deputy Governor designate, Chairmen and members of Government Boards and Parastatals, Eze-elect and Autonomous community creation, among others and wondered if other Mbaitoli sons and daughters have been greedy and behaving the way he does, Mbaitoli would not have been where it is today”.
“The group however urged him to learn or borrow a leaf from Chief Tony Chukwu (Onweghi ihe Kariri chineke) and Governor Hope Uzodinma’s empowerment style, asserting that Chief Chukwu has empowered so many Ehime Mbano people and Mbano clan in general both in elective and appointment positions in the past without focusing on his village kinsmen alone. Also the Governor Distinguish Senator Hope Uzodinma, while serving as Senator of Federal Republic of Nigeria, of all the appointments he facilitated, he did not give it to his Omuma kinsmen alone”.
“The group therefore advise him to desist from what they termed his “clannish style of politics” particularly in the forthcoming council election in Imo of choosing or nominating his Ubomiri brother as council Chairman of Mbaitoli against the zoning arrangement in the area but should make enquires and consultations with the help of leaders to avoid being deceived or face resistance he would least expect. The group however appealed to the peoples Governor , Hope Uzodinma (Onwa Oyoko) to advise him properly. They however made it clear that going by the current Mbaitoli political zoning ,the council chairman which is an elective position should come from Mbaitoli East (Mbieri) which comprises Ezinihitte, Amaike and Umuagwu/Umunwoha wards since the current Imo House of Assembly member for Mbaitoli state constituency comes from Mbaitoli North comprising Afara/Eziama, Ogwa I and Ogwa II, Orodo A and B wards, while the current Imo State Deputy Governor comes from Mbaitoli South comprising Umunoha, Ogbaku, Ifakala and Ubomiri wards”. “They equally used the opportunity to urge the performing Governor of Imo State Uzodinma to resist any attempt to be deceived concerning the chairman seat of Mbaitoli by selfish and clannish attitude of Chief Leo Stan Ekeh to avoid any political balkanization or rancor in Mbaitoli.