By CHARLES IWUOHA

The issue of which zone between Okigwe and Owerri will produce the next Governor of Imo State after Orlu Zone has taken another dimension as a new political group, Owerri Zone Peoples Mandate (OWZOPEM), was birthed over the weekend.

The new group is championed by Prof. Vitalis Orikeze Ajumbe, Capt. David Mbamara, who is now designated as the Chairman of the new group, and Chief Mike Nwachukwu, who is designated as the Chairman of the Strategic Committee of the group.

In a communique raised after their first meeting held in Owerri on Saturday, June 29, the group resolved to set up a high-powered committee tasked with reaching out to Okigwe Zone through Okigwe Global Elders Forum and Orlu Zone through Orlu Political Consultative Assembly (OPOCA). They stated that the major aim of reaching out to Okigwe is to avoid a clash of interests in their respective quests to produce the next Governor of the state.

The communique further stated that the group will write to the people of Ohaji/Egbema regarding their decision to remain in Imo State following the agitation for creating Orlu State. They also commended Governor Hope Uzodinma for the good works he is doing in the state and his support for Owerri Zone to produce the next Governor of the state.

The aims and objectives of the meeting were contained in a communique issued to journalists, which included a resolution to communicate as soon as possible with those championing the cause of Okigwe Zone, particularly the Okigwe Global Elders Forum led by HRH Eze Oliver Ohanweh, to reach an understanding with them and avoid a clash of interests of the two zones in their respective quests to produce the next Governor of the state.

Addressing the gathering, Chairman of the new group, Capt. Mbamara, stated that no zone in Nigeria has suffered what Owerri Zone is suffering in terms of getting a fair share of the Governorship slot since the inception of the present democratic dispensation in 1999.

He went down memory lane to inform the gathering that he was in primary school when Imo State was created in 1976, and since then, no person from Owerri Zone has enjoyed the substantive position of the Governorship seat. Rather, the zone has always been offered as a sacrificial lamb for other zones emerging as Governors.

He said that what played out in 1999 continues to reoccur in every election year, placing Owerri Zone in its sorry state. He maintained that this time around, the zone must form a common front to achieve its purpose of producing the Governor of the state.

In his speech, Prof. Ajumbe informed that the group is still at its formative stage and is open to welcoming every idea that will help the zone get it right this time around.

He maintained that Owerri Zone cannot get the Governorship seat alone and that they must reach out to other zones to seek their support and try to avoid actions capable of jeopardizing the political future of the zone regarding the Governorship seat.

The meeting was well attended by political stakeholders from the zone.

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