By Baron Ike
A former House of Representatives member for Ahiazu/Ezinihitte Federal Constituency, Independent Ogunewe has said that those clamouring for zoning in Imo State as a condition for shifting power from one part of the state to another are living in the past.
Ogunewe, a two term House of Representatives member from Ezinihette Mbaise in Owerri Senatorial zone said zoning is one of the easiest ways of handing power over to incompetent fellows and that it goes against the grain of struggle for power.
Ogunewe, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) told Armadanews.com that “power does not respond to zoning.”
He criticized those clamoring for zoning in Imo state on the grounds that there was a zoning arrangement saying, nothing could be further from the truth.
Ogunewe said: “What is Imo Charter Equity? Who ratified it? Who and who were there when it was discussed? It is simply a arrangement which the members of the PDP then saw as the best way to share offices in their Party, so how does it translate to an idea that should be binding on every other operating in Imo State? The truth is that it is an arrant nonsense, and I am against it and what it stands for.”
He maintained that in the struggle for power those interested should go and mobilise people and resources instead of basking on the idea of zoning to hand over power to people whom probably may not be serious about leadership and governance.
Since 1999, power sharing in Imo State, particularly for the governorship has been approached with the understanding that the three senatorial zones of Owerri, Okigwe and Orlu will take turns to produce the governor. Bearing that in mind, formers Governor Achike Udenwa (1999 – 2007) came from Orlu followed by Ikedi Ohakim (2007- 2011) from Okigwe, and now Governor Rochas Okorocha (2011-Present) from Orlu again.
With Okorocha’s tenure coming to an end in 2019, those from Okigwe and Owerri have been clamouring for the position of the governor to come to their place. Okigwe peoples argument is that Ohakim did not complete his tenure of two terms while Owerri people are saying they are yet to take their turn since 1999 of return to civil rule. The only time the Owerri zone had a shot at the governorship of the state was in 1991 when former Senate President, late Evan Enwerem was governor for just three months.
But the renewed clamour for power shift in Imo is gaining traction now because of the insinuation that Okorocha wants to get someone from the same Orlu zone where he comes from that would have done a total of 16 years by the time his tenure expires by 2019 to still become governor.
One man who would not be bothered about that is Ogunewe, but he believes Owerri zone needs to mobilise resources and persons if they are serious about getting power rather that relying on the “non existing Imo Equity Charter ” to seek power.
In May, Armadanews.com reported that Okorocha may have enlisted the supporters of paid agents to kick against the existing zoning arrangement in Imo as part of several moves to push the governorship aspiration of his son in-law.
Insinuations were high that Okorocha wants his Chief of Staff, Uche Nwosu who is married to his first daughter to replace him come 2019 against the Imo Equity Charter that makes it possible for the governorship position to rotate between the three senatorial zones of Owerri, Orlu and Okigwe.
Okorocha comes from Orlu and his son in-law also comes from the same zone.
Imolites have criticised the plot and are resolved to frustrate it, but the governor and his political hirelings have gone to town to sell the idea of abandoning the arrangement because of their selfish interest.
For instance, one politician and a chieftain of the ruling APC believed to be a stooge of Okorocha, Sam Iwuagwu had said those criticizing Okorocha are ignorant.
Iwuagwu spoke in Umuahia during a private visit to another Abia APC chieftain who is also in Okorocha’s pocket.
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sam Onwuemeodo had earlier written an article on why Nwosu should be ready to run for Imo Governorship in 2019 which received a lot of flak from people.
Onwuemedo had argued that there was no binding document on zoning in Imo which must be adhered to in choosing Okorocha’s successor, a logic that got Prof. E.C. Azubuike infuriated.
However, Iwuagwu knocked the scholar’s position and instead backed Onwuemedo describing the professor’s outburst as an invitation to ignite fire in Imo politics over zoning formula which he himself said “does not exist in any signed document by stakeholders in the state neither has it a place in any constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
He challenged Professor Azubuike to substantiate his claims by presenting a written document containing zoning arrangement of leadership positions in the state, contending that the issue at stake remained who will deliver in governance rather than where or which zone the person comes from.
True to what he was paid to do, Iwuagwu went about to advertise Okorocha’s coming, saying that “within the six years of Okorocha’s administration Imo has witnessed massive transformation and completely changed from its previous neglect by successive administrations to an envy of other states across the federation.”
He said he wondered why zoning system should be an issue when people are looking for quality and better leadership that can maintain the current tempo of development and carry the state to another level.
He argued that what should bother the Imo indigenes should be who would sustain the good legacies of Okorocha and not where or which zone his successor comes from.
But one Duru Amako, an indigene of Orlu criticised the logic of Iwuagwu, noting that Imo State is not meant for Orlu alone and that contrary to Iwuagwu’s thinking, Okorocha’s coming has rather brought pains to the people of the state and it would amount to double jeopardy entrusting the state in the hands of another of his stooge, what more his in-law.
“The truth is that anybody Okorocha raises his hands as his successor for 2019 will be treated as a leper, and the worse will even be his in-law,” Amako said.