Imo guber battle: Owerri leaders endorse Uzodimma, give condition

The NOGA leaders met in Owerri, signed a communique, led by the president, Dan Ikpeazu, and Secretary, Chief Nze James, and a host of other leaders.

The Owerri leaders among other things said: “NOGA strongly supports and aligns with the views of proponents of the charter of equity which seeks to uphold fair and equitable rotation of the office of governor among the three geopolitical zones in the state where no zone or combination of them will monopolize the office to the exclusion of other(s). Whereas Owerri zone is currently at the rear of the equation as regards holding the office of the governor compared with other zones, and whereas Orlu zone, with the highest number of years in the office and still present on the saddle, NOGA maintains that the justice and equity of the matter favor Owerri Zone to produce the next governor after H/E Dist. Senator Hope Uzodinma.

“That for the dream of having the governor of Owerri extraction realized within the shortest expected period, the Assembly agrees that it requires a symbiotic relationship between Owerri zone and Governor Hope Uzodinma to support each other, with Owerri showing good faith and supporting the re-election of the governor.

“That above is without prejudice to anyone else’s political inclination as it remains a hard fact that cannot be disproved. The election of an Okigwe candidate who will ask for 8 years will make Owerri zone the slave of time and will derail their clamor for a bridged period to produce a governor.”

“That is the context of evaluative strength and viability of political parties vying for the governorship of the state for the next dispensation, NOGA regrets that parties having Owerri candidates on the ballots now are unfortunately mired in intractable internal crisis which makes their chances of victory very difficult, if not impossible.

“The concept of the Imo Charter of Equity being propounded recognizes not only the larger structures of the zone but their micro units. We contend that the next governor of Owerri extraction after Governor Hope Uzodinma should be elected from Owerri Federal Constituency for the reason that both Mbaitoli/Ikeduru and Mbaise microzones have at different times produced governors, except Owerri Federal Constituency. With this done, equity will be seen to have been served,” they said.