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From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Former Minister of Interior, Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho and Convener of Imo Harmony Project (IHP), is leading the campaign for Owerri zone (Imo East) to produce Governor Hope Uzodimma’s successor in 2027.
He said it is the turn of the zone to produce the next governor of the state and that the Imo Harmony Project, which he said is a non-partisan group, was established to achieve that purpose.
Iheanacho, who was the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA) in 2015, said he would not be contesting in 2027. He, however, noted that since 1999 the zone had only governed the state for seven months, Okigwe zone for four years, while Orlu would have governed for 24 years at the expiration of Uzodimma’s second term in 2028.
He made the call at the weekend when he hosted the group at his country home in Ezeogba community in Emekuku, Owerri North council. He thanked the Council of Imo Elders for supporting the agitation of the Owerri zone to produce the next governor for the state in line with the charter of political equity agreed upon by the council.
“This group was founded last year for the purpose of the actualisation of Owerri zone producing the successor to Governor Hope Uzodimma when his second tenure expires on 15 January 2028. We have the support of the Council of Imo Elders and various groups across the state. According to the charter of equity, it is the turn of the Owerri zone. We are also calling on the Okigwe zone to support the Owerri zone in the spirit of that charter.
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“We are saying that the major political parties in the state should pick their governorship candidates from qualified and capable persons from the Owerri zone and it doesn’t matter which party, as long as their candidates are from the zone. That is what we want,” he said.
Similarly, former Minister of Transport and Aviation, Dr Kema Chikwe said the zone has qualified and capable men and women to govern the state.
Dr Chikwe, former national women leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and co-convener of the group, maintained that it was the turn of Owerri zone to produce the next governor. “Everyone in the state is in agreement with that. This group is not partisan as the chief convener, Capt Iheanacho has said. Our aim is to ensure that an Owerri man or woman becomes the governor after the 2027 gubernatorial elections. We don’t care which party the person comes from. People from the zone in the various parties should ensure that they work hard to emerge the governorship candidates of their respective parties. This group is working tirelessly across the state to ensure our main objective is realized,” she stated.
A former Commissioner for Finance and member of the Labour Party, Mr. Nick Opara-Ndudu noted that the group was committed to the actualisation of an Owerri person becoming next governor of the state.
According to him, “This organisation is not being sponsored by anybody and it is working for anybody. It is working to make sure that an Owerri person emerges the governor after Uzodimma. We have resisted the temptation of endorsing anybody. It is the duty of the various parties to select their candidates who must be from the Owerri zone.”
