IMO GUBER: IS THE TENSION IS DOUSING?

It is clear that  Imo Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodimma has less than  Three years to bid a bid a good bye to the corridor of power. If he exits office in the year 2027, another fresh hand takes over the mantle of leadership from him.

     Perhaps, a prospective governor may emerge from Owerri Municipal, Owerri north, Owerri West, Ngor- Okpala, Ikeduru, Mbaitoli, Ahiazu Mbaise, Ezinihitte and Aboh Mbaise Local Government Areas.  But lo and behold,  Governor’s pronouncement ought not to become a limitation to the interested Imo gubernatorial aspirants. After all, politics is a gave. Orlu and Okigwe zones are offered same ground to also play in the political gallery.

    In outlook, 2027 Imo governorship is going to be a tough one, even though the governor, Hope Uzodimma has deemed it wise to abide by the Imo charter of equity of which, I believe, means that a successor might come from any of the Council areas. Mind you, Aspirations from other sister units, apart from Owerri zone, are warming up to wrestle out power. Power is given, and not taken.

   In the history of Imo State-since its creation in the year 1976, number of those who have declared interest, clandestinely, to contest for governorship seat, just for one position, is terribly alarming. Where had been  these Imo prominent sons all these while? Most of them have never even contributed to the development of communities, let alone the State, at large.

     It pains me that Ndi Imo are now guffed into voting into power, helicopter politicians that only want to win the elections but do not want their interests at heart. They hibernate outside the country only to surface during electioneering period. Well, let us move on.

    Governor Uzodimma’s consciousness over charter of equity is generating hot reactions from diverse quarters. I do not see any qualms, if he decides to cede power to Owerri zone extraction to continue from where he stops  driving of the Shared prosperity administration.

  In Okigwe zone for instance, there had a strong agitation from groups in the area that it is their turn to produce Imo governor. While the former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Boss, Prof. Maurice Iwu, His Royal Majesty and others were making case for the ex governor Ikedi Ohakim to be brought back to go for just one term and now hand over to Owerri zone.

  Aspirants from Orlu and Owerri are still not limited from contesting. But if Orlu zone, which  has upper hand as against the other zones of Okigwe and Owerri with six and nine local governments respectively, emerges to occupy the seat at the end of the excise, there should not a cause for alarm. You know, it is politics.

   Uzodimma may not produce a successor if the situation persists. Pressure from the Governor’s political associates, his core loyalists and others either to anoint them as his successor or their political son so as to become the next governor in 2027. Sen. Uzodimma has confused his political watchers in the State by not disclosing who occupies the Douglas house after he might have left office in the next two years.

    Former democratically elected persons are, through their body languages thauuút clearly radiates political undertones, appear to have become gubernatorial aspirants for the State.  If we begin to calculate it local government by council, there are

   the time to give sense of belonging to Okigwe and Owerri has to start at the end of the current tenure in 2028. Statistics show that since the advent of the present democratic dispensation in 1999, Orlu zone has had Achike Udenwa (1999 – 2007), Rochas Okorocha (2011 – 2019), and the present governor Hope Uzodimma (2020 – 2028 God willing). In all Orlu zone, that is Imo West has had governorship slot for 24 years.Okigwe zone (Imo North) had complete four years with Ikedi Ohakim (2007 – 2011) at the governorship saddle. Then Owerri zone, also referred to as Imo East remains the unlucky zone with only seven (7) months under Emeka Ihedioha (2019 – January 2020