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| ONYEUKWU |
At a well attended combined meeting of
Owerri Zone Elders Forum and Obiri-Ukwu-Owerri (a youth political organization
of Owerri Zone) held Sunday in Owerri has directed the boycott of any political
party in Imo State that nominates a 2015 governorship candidate that is not of
Owerri Zone extraction, as far as the guber election is concerned.
Speaking at the meeting, the coordinator
of the organization Chief Nath Onyeukwu told the crowd that this struggle to
counter the move to nullify the Imo Charter of Equity which he said made it
possible for men of Orlu Zone to govern the State for 12years and Okigwe Zone
for nine years.
He regretted that late Chief Evan
Enwerem of Owerri Zone governed the state for only about one year and six
months, but was interrupted by a military coup.
Chief Onyeukwu observed that ever since
Chief Enwerem’s brief occupation of Douglas House, Owerri, the position of
governor has continued to elude candidates of Owerri Zone. This, he said was
made possible by two factors. One, being the ever unmanageable number of
contestants from Owerri Zone. Each being intransigent on the issue of bowing
out for the most eligible candidate to face others from other zones. This
political error, he emphasized must be corrected this time around.
Secondly, he observed that PDP which has
a lop-sided leadership, with Owerri Zone disadvantaged, has either deliberately
or inadvertently misled leaders of Owerri Zone into believing that the party
would field a candidate of Owerri Zone, only to disappoint the zone at the last
minute. Chief Onyeukwu cited the case of the circumstances that brought Ikedi
Ohakim to power in Imo State at the expense of Owerri Zone represented by Chief
Martin Agbaso, and the last election which the same persons thwarted the
agreement reached by opposition parties and channeled the resources to Orlu
zuru-mee which resulted in Rochas Okorocha becoming governor to the detriment
of the Imo Charter of Equity.
He then declared: “Once beaten, twice shy”! We
can no longer place our destiny in the hands of anybody outside our zone. This
error of the past must be corrected now. Whatever the worth of PDP meetings at
Amaifeke, and whatever are the promises of Achike Udenwa, Owerri Zone will no
longer place her political destiny in his hands. We will work in co-operation
with anybody genuinely interested in upholding and respecting the Imo Charter
of Equity to usher in a governor of Owerri extraction in 2015.
Chief Onyeukwu emphasized that Owerri
Zone has whatever it takes to govern and develop Imo State. He said that Hope
Uzodinma’s gauntlet must be responded to conclusively, as this is beyond
politics, and has become a struggle that must be won. To lead this struggle is
this Movement of Owerri Zone Elders and her youths.
He warned the self oriented people of
Owerri Zone still hobnobbing with political “enemies” of Owerri Zone,
to immediately retrace their steps and join the people’s struggle before it
becomes too late for them.
High Chief Uche Njoku one of the
conveners of the meeting told the gathering that the movement has the prime
duty to unite the people of Owerri Zone to fight and struggle with one accord
irrespective of clan differences. And declared: “This Movement has no distinction
for the various clans of Mbike, Uratta, Mbaise and Ngor-Okpala that make up the
zone. We are one in this struggle. This can never be over emphasized. The
cardinal point is the interest of Owerri Zone, and anything that detracts in
any measure from this, will lead to a disaster”
He also emphasized that this “Movement
does not belong to any political party nor is it attached to any aspirant. It
is an organization belonging to the people of Owerri Zone”.
Chief Analyn Nwaneri informed the
gathering that Owerri Zone PDP leaders had led a delegation to Orlu Zone PDP at
the residence of Chief Achike Udenwa and discussed the issue of Owerri Zone,
producing the next Governor of Imo State come 2015. He said the meeting was
quite useful and cordial, but did not say whether they extracted any promise
from the Amaifeke PDP chieftain but disclosed that Okigwe Zone was scheduled to
meet Orlu Zone PDP leaders last Sunday.
Other speakers at the meeting included
Dr. Chuks Osuji; Dr. Fidel Onyeneke, Barr. (Mrs) C.N. Chilakaigidi; Dr. Ethelbert Okere; Chief Davidson Onuoha, and
others who maintained that Owerri Zone must this time around do everything
possible to ensure that one of them occupied the Douglas House.
The meeting decided to create a number
of committees to ensure effective implementation of the plans to carry the
struggle to a conclusive victory.
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