By Ekeledirichukwu Asikagu Oruwari
In my last article entitled “Governor Uzodimma And Owerri Zone Leaders: The Grand Deceit”, I drew the attention of the political elite in Owerri zone to the growing perception that, concerning the zone’s quest for the office of the governor of Imo state come 2027, it is running with the hare and hunting with the hounds. For those who might not have read the article, let me do a brief recap.
I was pointing at the contradiction wherein Owerri zone leaders confess to love the governor and praise him to high heavens for his achievements and yet turn a blind eye to the campaign of calumny against him from some elements within them. And I went ahead to give concrete evidence to prove that the so-called political heavy weights in the zone cannot deny that they are not only aware of the antics of these elements in question but also, by design and default – indeed mere by design – are in support of the attacks on the governor.
Before establishing that fact, I made it known that the governor’s only sin is that he told our people the “gospel truth”; to the effect that he lacks the powers to single handedly anoint a successor from amongst them, contrary to their wish and expectations,and that the entitlement mentality with which the zone’s leaders are going about the matter may backfire. I also reminded our people that His Excellency had, at the August 20, 2025 “courtesy call” on him by stakeholders of the zone, said that while he agrees that the Owerri zone quest is legitimate, his main concern is to clear the confusion that arose from some mischief of the past; and that was where I took it from.
Even though Governor Uzodimma did not elaborate on what he meant by “mischief of the past”, I believe that most of the people that made up that audience understood what he meant but would preferred not to. Hence, my decision to do that article in order to drive the point home.
As I noted in the article, the mischief and confussion the governor was referring to was the manipulated emergence of an Orlu zone fellow, Rochas Okorocha, as governor in 2011, even after another Orlu zone fellow, Achike Udenwa had ruled for eight years – with the active support of Owerri leaders through an extremely flawed process that denied Okigwe zone a second term in office to square up with Orlu’s eight years. The confussion Governor Uzodimma was referring to is the one that exist now, wherein both Owerri and Okigwe zones are steadfastly laying claims to the office of governor of Imo state come 2027/2028.
Despite couching his message in a diplomatic language, there is no gainsaying the fact that the “mischief of the past” he was referring was that perpetrated by some leaders of Owerri zone in supporting an Orlu zone fellow to emerge as governor in 2011 in spite of the obvious implications. Even his warning that if Owerri zone fails to carry Okigwe zone along in its quest to produce his successor, that the latter might sabotage the project, was merely euphemistic. What the governor was saying was that if our people in Owerri zone continue with its present method, he sees a situation whereby neither Owerri nor Okigwe will produce his successor; meaning that the thing will return to Orlu zone – in 2027 and even beyond.
Even though many would dismiss the possibility of such a scenario – and we should not pray for it – that is only in imagination. The fear of the governor is real and there can be no doubt that it is his biggest worry. As a matter of fact, Governor Uzodimma had, not quite long ago, indirectly expressed this fear when, while addressing the congregation at the Government House, Owerri, Chaplain, said he would wish that his successor does not come from Orlu zone. That means that he knows that it is not impossible for the next governor to come from his native Orlu zone thus compounding the confusion. My view, therefore, is that Governor Uzodimma should be assisted to bring an end to this confusion seeing that he is determined to do so once and for all. Unfortunately, he is being misunderstood by the very people who will be the ultimate (biggest) beneficiaries of his call for reason.
Why am I cracking my head again less than a week after my lengthy last article referenced above? It is because I felt there is need to update the narrative after reading the communiqué issued by the Orlu Zone Development Forum at the end of its quarterly meeting on Sunday, September 7, 2025.
After enumerating the numerous achievements of Governor Hope Odidika Uzodimma, whom the forum referred to as their “own brother and illustrious son…”, it hit the nail on the head in just two out of the six paragraphs of the communiqué. For purposes of clarity and for the interest of those who are yet to come across the communiqué, the two paragraphs (4 and 5) are reproduced below: “the Forum frowns at deliberate machinations and orchestrations of some individuals and groups in the state who engage in phony conduct and actions that are tailored towards distracting the governor. This include various forms of group agitations and campaigns for 2027 alongside frequent visitations to the governor which center on these trivialities that are better left for the appropriate time considering that the governor has barely spent one year and some months in this second tenure of four years and deserves to be allowed to concentrate on his work within the remaining two years and some months to consolidate on his achievements rather than these unnecessary frequent visits and activities that have taken the semblance of stampede on the governor over issues of 2027 … the forum being alive and conscious of its responsibility has taken note of some rampaging hate campaigners who are deliberate in their vain efforts to misinform and incite the unsuspecting Imo public against the governor and warns that henceforth, such notorious trouble shooters and their collaborators must be called to order by their people and elders of Orlu Zone Development Forum takes exception to those negative campaigns against their own brother and illustrious son, His Excellency, Most Distinguished Senator Hope Odidika Uzodimma, the executive governor of Imo state and hence forth might be forced to take drastic steps which perpetrators won’t find easy to contain”.
It is tempting to dismiss the above statement(s) as mere threats more so when such phrases as “drastic steps” are employed but that would be simplistic, even connoting naivety, especially when, on the other hand, we take a second look at the type of vitriolic being directed at Governor Uzodimma by some elements in Owerri zone. In my article under reference, I gave illustrations that would prove that some of our political big wigs in Owerri zone are merely looking the other way while some elements from within the groups they are leading throw tantrums at the governor whom they turn round to praise in his presence. I then cautioned that some pundits may be tempted to believe that there is an orchestrate plot to intimidate the governor into abnegating office for them even before 2027.
Have I not been vindicated? In the passage from the communiqué from the Orlu zone group above, we can see the assertion that there is a “…semblance of stampede on the governor…”
As far as I am concerned, it is this apprehension – of a stampede – that led to the statement by the Orlu Zone Development Forum, made up of some of the brightest among the zone’s political intelligentsia as can be deduced from the caliber of persons that signed the communiqué. It is difficult to say what manner the “drastic steps” the good people of Orlu zone will take to protect “their own brother and illustrious son” but my hunch is that the stage is being set for the final dismantling of the so-called Charter of Equity thus giving room for a free-for-all in 2027. In plain language, I am of the view that Owerri and Okigwe zones are gradually playing into the hands of Orlu zone as far as 2027 is concerned.
If Orlu zone decides to formally jettison Charter of Equity and join the fray in the 2027 governorship contest, it will be extremely difficult for either of Owerri or Okigwe zones to produce Uzodimma’s successor, more so as we have many players in both zones – Owerri and Okigwe – who will easily capitulate and join the Orlu train. It has happened before.
As repugnant as Rochas Okorocha’s agenda to install his son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, as governor in 2019 was, he nearly succeeded. Apart from that Nwosu won in all the local government areas in Orlu zone, except Oguta,he made good in roads in both Okigwe and Owerri especially in the latter; again with the active support of some black legs there. After the first balloting on March 9, 2019, there was no outright winner. The situation was such that a run-off election between Nwosu and Emeka Ihedioha was the only way out until something happened and it was called off and Ihedioha, who got over 80 per cent of his total votes from only three local government areas from his native Mbaise, was declared ,As a matter of fact,there is a popular belief that had a run-off been held for Nwosu and Ihedioha, the former would have emerged victorious.
Still at the end what happened? Even though Okorocha was stopped from imposing his own son-in-law, a fellow from Orlu zone, it was still an Orlu fellow – Hope Uzodimma – that ended up as governor after a miserly sevent-month stint by Ihedioha of Owerri zone.
As noted earlier, Governor Uzodimma had not long ago expressed his wish that his successor will not come from his native Orlu zone. But that is only a wish, which may not precisely coincide with that of his people in Orlu when push comes to shoves. Yes, Governor Uzodimma is very much loved by his people but just as he does not have the powers to single handedly choose a successor, he cannot also stop anybody in Orlu zone from running and possibly emerging as governor. Already, there are at least five governorship aspirants in Orlu zone, all well connected and with very deep pockets. Even though they are yet to go public,the only one among them that has come out openly to declare his ambition, Chief Charles Orie, is going about it with verve and alacrity and there are feelers that he has a lot of supporters both from Okigwe and Owerri zones.
There is not intention here to paint the picture of a helpless situation. The situation is far from being hopeless. The ball is still in the courts of both Okigwe and Owerri but I believe, and many also do, that Owerri zone has more role to play. It’s leaders should jettison the “On The Aburi We Stand” slogan and harken to the voice of reason, which is to allow Okigwe take just one more four years between 2027 and 2031; and everything will fall in place.
