Imo Guber: Owerri stakeholders reject Charter of Equity proposed by elders

By Christiana Ekpa

Stakeholders in Owerri Senatorial Zone have criticized the charter of Equity allegedly being foisted on the people of Imo State by the incumbent governor whose zone has held on to the governorship of the State for twenty years, leaving Owerri and Okigwe zones with seven months and four years respectively.

The Owerri leaders under the umbrella of the Coalition of Owerri Zone Socio-cultural Organizations and professional bodies in a communique called on the people not to accept the current attempt to confine their zone to a political dustbin in the Imo project.

The communique jointly signed by Chief Mike Ahamba, SAN, Sir Martin Opara, Secretary Planning Committee/President General, Olu Owerri, and eight other leaders of the zone said, “We stand on the CHARTER OF EQUITY which was propounded by Imo elders and founding fathers in good conscience, on the return of democracy in 1998.”

The communique said the generality of the people of Owerri zone further adopt all the positions of the maiden EGBU DECLARATION against injustice in the Imo sociopolitical landscape which has seen Owerri zone and her people, meted with the worst injustice.

It further reads in part, “After a careful and detailed analysis of the state of Imo today and the current position of the Owerri man in the Imo project, we urge the governor of Imo State to rededicate himself to the return of peace and security in our State and advice perpetrators of this strange plague in our land to shield their swords.

“We are alarmed at the rising spate of insecurity in Imo State which has resulted in the killing of many innocent Imo indigenes, burning of many homes, and led many Imolites to flee their homes thereby making them internally displaced persons (IDPs) in their State.

“We deeply regret that successive political actors have continued to truncate this brotherly accord which recognized the tripod arrangement of Imo State and laid a foundation for power to rotate between the three sister Senatorial zones of Orlu, Owerri, and Okigwe, in the interest of peace, equity and fairness.

“We condemn the destruction of an Imo ancient landmark, the Nekede Zoe which has over several decades, served as an educational, recreational, and tourist centre to Imo children and visitors alike.

“The hasty decision to destroy the monument, cart away all investments in the zoo, and plan to share the land without relocating the facility to a befitting location and transferring multi-billion wildlife inhabitants of the zoo is misplaced, ill-intentioned, and fraudulent.

“We urge the government to have a second look at the decision, to protect the future of our children and save our ecosystem.

“We advise our Owerri zone brothers who are in the race for 2023 Imo Governorship, to come together and unite behind a single candidate among them, for a stronger and successful outing on 11th November, 2023.

“We restate that there will be no better way to restore equity and fairness in Imo than supporting Owerri zone to produce the next governor of Imo State come 11th November, 2023, and urge Owerri electorates to wake up from slumber and vote for any credible Owerri zone Governorship candidate.