From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The Secretary of Orlu Council of Elders, Prof Protus Nathan Uzorma, has said that as controversial as the new Imo Charter of Equity has become for there to be real equity, the Okigwe zone should be allowed to complete its four years before power is ceded to Owerri zone as was initially agreed in 1999.
He spoke also on other issues.
Ahead of 2027, the issue of Imo Charter of Equity has again come to the fore. What in your opinion is responsible why this noble principle of power sharing hasn’t worked?
The issue of Charter of Equity in Imo State is a controversial one. Controversial in the sense that people hold different opinions to the meaning and concept of political equity. Imo Charter of Equity is not a constitutional thing in the first place. It is a moral thing. Those who studied politics will tell you that there is no morality in politics and that is why some people practice politics that is bereft of morality. But it is only when you invoke morality into politics that the existence of the human life is justified. So, I am going to answer you as a moral politician and not according to Machiavellian principles of politics. I have always been against winners taking it all. I’m against inequity seen in our state and I have been speaking against it for a very long time . But it appears that people don’t understand what this equity is all about . What is equity? Equity simply means giving to somebody what rightfully, justifiably belongs to him. That is equity. Does it apply in politics? In Nigeria, I thought it’s taken not given, but certain developments in our country justified that power is given and it defies the democratic principles, which is the opposite of democracy. Since 1999, Orlu has been enjoying power. By 2027, Orlu zone would have been in power, that is, executive power for 24 years. So, bear in mind that when we are talking of equity it’s not only limited to executive power alone. But for the purpose of this discussion let’s limit it to just the executive governance of this state. So, the Orlu zone has enjoyed more executive power, the Okigwe zone only four years and Owerri zone nothing. The issue of equity in the governance of the state was initiated by the state PDP at the return of democracy in 1999. It was agreed that Orlu zone will take the first shot, Okigwe and then Owerri zone in that order. That was the agreement. Achike Udenwa ruled for eight years and he was supposed to hand over power to Okigwe zone, which will produce governor the state for eight years and then Owerri zone for eight years before it reverts back to Okigwe. But Okigwe ruled for four years. Some people have alleged that the failure of then Governor Udenwa to groom a successor had resulted in a scramble for power in 2007, which saw Chief Martins Agbaso from APGA having won the governorship polls. But curiously the then INEC Chairman, Prof Maurice Iwu nullified that election and in the second election held two weeks later, Chief Ikedi Ohakim who contested on the platform of PPA was declared the winner. Was this not the fault of the then Governor Udenwa? I am telling you that there was an agreement, and it was a morally based agreement, which as human beings is justifiable. Families agreed that you will go for eight years and that you the other zones will go for eight years. A good leader grooms a successor. But in Imo State no governor has ever groomed a successor. It has never happened here, that is the truth. Although, in a democracy you may bring a successor, but the people may reject him. So, you may not blame Chief Achike Udenwa. Udenwa needed a successor and Senator Ifeanyi Ararume who was then at the Senate and from Okigwe zone had positioned himself as successor to Udenwa. Everybody thought that Senator Ararume was going to emerge as the governor, but there was a contrary agreement that produced Chief Ikedi Ohakim. Remember the agreement was that after Orlu, Okigwe should go for eight years and then Owerri zone for eight years. Now, Owerri zone truncated that agreement in 2011.
How?
There was a mass revolution against Ikedi Ohakim over false allegations instigated by high profile people from Owerri zone and truncated his re-election. Ohakim was supposed to complete the eight years, according to the agreement, and it was truncated. We now said we needed Rochas Okorocha, people who made that agreement neglected the agreement and supported Rochas Okorocha as against the agreement they had. So, if proper equity must be followed Okigwe zone should produce a governor for another four years, that is Ikedi Ohakim should complete his remaining four years, and then the Owerri zone will now take over. That is the proper equity despite whatever anybody is talking about.
But shortly before the November 11, 2023 governorship polls the Imo Council of Elders agreed on a new Charter of Equity that it would be the turn of Owerri zone to produce the successor of Governor Uzodimma in 2027…
(Cuts in) Which of the Imo Council of Elders?
The one led by Eze Cletus Ilomunaya.
That is the one owned by the state government. I wouldn’t know.
They agreed that for there to be peace that the new Charter of Equity should begin after Governor Uzodimma completes his tenure in 2027, that power will rotate to Owerri zone which hasn’t tasted executive power since 1999, but for the six months under Emeka Ihedioha and which the governor also endorsed. You don’t agree with that their position?
The governor has the right to say that, but he has no moral justification saying he is going to produce his successor from Owerri zone . He has no moral justification for that. Let me give you the reasons. We are taking of equity here and we can’t discounteance the earlier agreement by starting all over again.
This is a new Charter of Equity fashioned out by the Imo Council of Elders.
Okay, fine. If they say it is a new agreement, which people are involved in the agreement? Let me tell you, we have two Elders’ Councils. We have Imo Guild of Elders, it was established before this Imo Council of Elders. This new one was established immediately Senator Hope Uzodimma emerged as a governor in 2020, that is the truth. The Imo Guild of Elders has Mr Pascal Dozie as the Chairman, and the Deputy Chairman is Prof Francis Dike (SAN), and we have reasonable personalities from Imo State. In 2019 they were of the view that power should come to Owerri zone and everybody supported that. In fact, in 2013, I was the guest speaker at a public summit where I canvassed that it is the turn of Owerri zone and I also published many articles in both national and local newspapers. We wanted it to start after Rochas Okorocha’s administration . Owerri zone succeeded, but the Supreme court said otherwise. What assurance is Owerri zone going to give to us? Remember it is not a constitutional thing.
But Governor Uzodimma has said emphatically that he will hand over to a person from Owerri zone?
Owerri and Okigwe zones have equal rights to occupy the Government House. But between this two brothers, Owerri zone can say let’s allow Okigwe to complete four years and hand over to us. Orlu zone will prefer an Okigwe man taking over power for four years and after that Owerri zone will take for another eight years and then we come back to the round table again . But if they truncate this again because seeming disagreement between Owerri and Okigwe zones, over whose turn it is, power may remain to Orlu zone after 2027. Let me tell you, there is an insight to this discussion that people are neglecting and it may bring a political surprise in 2027. If there is an agreement between the two then we will relax. But if there is no agreement people may be surprised on what will happen. Proper equity demands that we return to status quo. Okigwe zone should complete its four years and then Owerri zone should take power for eight years. It is true that Owerri zone has not enjoyed power since 1999. But the dividends of democracy is being enjoyed by the people of Owerri zone than Orlu zone. So, Owerri zone has benefited from power as every development is centred in the zone. Does Orlu zone look like a place that has held power for 24 years? That is the question. Is not occupying the position that matters. What matters is what have the zone benefitted. It is only Governor Uzodimma that has done something in the Orlu zone that you can actually see. Both Achike Udenwa and Rochas Okorocha did nothing for the zone and that is the truth.
You said that Owerri and Okigwe zones should agree?
Either Ohakim will go for four years or Ihedioha will go for three years. Let’s face the fact .Did we remove Ihedioha? We voted for him. How are we going to suffer for what we don’t know . We are not going to be held responsible. We agreed and handed over power to Owerri zone, but they couldn’t hold power?
But the man who scuttled it is from Orlu zone. So was power actually handed over to Owerri zone in that respect?
In 2019, there was an agreement between the elders of the three zones who agreed to hand over power to Owerri zone. I am the Secretary of Orlu Council of Elders. I granted the first interview which you published in The Sun, and in that interview I had said that Orlu zone will not support any other candidate except from Owerri zone and that generated alot of heat at the Government House then, and the Chairman, Prof Francis Dike said that what I said was the position of the elders of Orlu zone. It was also the position of both Owerri and Okigwe zones. But did that stop anybody from Orlu zone contesting? No. It will be infringing on their rights. We said Owerri zone give us two candidates. Imo Guild of Elders and Ezurezu Mbaise were part of this agreement. Now, they gave us two names: Emeka Ihedioha and the late Humphrey Anumudu. In that meeting Ihedioha was present, Air Commodore Ochulor (rtd) was there, Okigwe leaders were all there and it was agreed that power be ceded to Owerri zone. That was the agreement in 2019 and power was ceded to them. They couldn’t hold on to power and allowed it to slip from their hands. So, Ihedioha couldn’t hold on to power.
But it was snatched away from him via the Supreme Court?
Well, that is the nature of politics in Nigeria.
So, why is it difficult for stakeholders in the state to abide by an agreement they had made which ought to be for the peace and political harmony of the state?
I think the problem is over ambitious and the stakeholders have not really come together to properly define what they really want. It worked in 2019. Remember our own brother Rochas Okorocha wanted his son-in-law to take over from him and had almost succeeded, but we said no and rallied round Ihedioha and produced him as the governor. Ihedioha wasn’t removed by Imo people, he was removed by the Supreme Court. Is it the fault of Imo people? Is it the fault of Orlu zone? It is not our fault my brother. Now, that brings me to status quo. We are saying for equity proper Okigwe zone should complete four years. I’m being frank with you, otherwise if I am in the position and see that they are not allowing Okigwe to conclude the four years under good agreement between Okigwe and Owerri people like us will come out and run in 2027 because it is my right and you cannot take me to court on that. Owerri zone needs to do more work and is not just talking on the pages of newspaper. They need to meet with the critical stakeholders. Let me tell you something, they said that Orlu has enjoyed power and the question is which area of Orlu has enjoyed power? Orlu is made up of four clans: Oru, Isu, Ideato and Orsu clans. Oru and Orsu clans have ruled and Oru is still ruling, Isu clan has not even produced a minister. Isu clan has four local governments, Nkwerre, Isu, Nwangele, Njaba and half of Orlu local government. I am saying if Okigwe and Owerri agrees that let Okigwe goes for four years. Isu clan will either have an agreement with Okigwe or Owerri zone. If we have that agreement, Okigwe has six local governments and Owerri zone has nine now if you add six plus four is it not 10 and half . We have 27 local governments in Imo State. If 10 and half is completely assured and we pick from others nothing will stop an Okigwe from winning in 2027. Where you get the major votes in Orlu zone is from the Isu and Oru clans. If we say we are going to an Owerri person with nine local governments, nine plus four and half is 13 and half, it is victory. We are saying that Oru, Orsu and Ideato have marginalized Isu clan. We have not produced anything. So, we have also come together on our own to look around and have an understanding as we are watching Okigwe and Owerri zones. We want a peaceful and rotational governorship system in Imo State. The Isu clan stands for that and we really want that to happen, therefore, we are watching what Owerri and Okigwe will do. But my own stand as a leader is that Okigwe zone should not be ignored and should be given time to complete their four years in 2027 and we now come to Owerri.
But the governor has already said that power will go to Owerri zone which is the position of the Imo Council of Elders?
The governor erred. Did we not vote for Ihedioha? Did the governor not win at the Supreme Court? If he brings somebody, how is he sure that the person will succeed and that the Supreme Court will not do otherwise? But where there is a proper agreement there would be no need for all these. The Imo Council of Elders erred. Our people has a proverb which says if the antelope was found when it was shot that the neck would not have bent. Already the antelope has a bent neck. What the Imo Council of Elders are trying to do is to build on opposite of morality. Orlu is at peace and will not challenge anybody. But If we discover that the same evil bird that cried at night and the baby died in the morning cried again, we will go back and we know how we do our things. If Owerri and Okigwe zones don’t knows whose turn it is, power may return to Orlu. But for me I know that they will agree.
But Ohakim is said to be insisting that he must complete his remaining four years, even without the support of the governor?
He is speaking from his own point of view. I have not contacted Ikedi Ohakim or spoken to him, but he is the only one who can do one term. We are saying for justice sake Okigwe zone should complete four years and it must be Ikedi Ohakim. If they don’t want Ikedi Ohakim then Owerri will take over. If they give us Senator Achonu he will not go for four years. So, it is only Ohakim who is guaranteed to do only four years and that is it. For us to have equity in Imo, justice must be done. And Ohakim must be allowed to complete his four years. This is the only thing that this governor will do and people like us will applaud him. Ohakim should also know that if he ignores Isu clan, we will make sure that he will not fly.