Hope Uzodinma, the governor of Imo State, has said that the governorship seat must stay in the three senatorial zones of the state.
The governor said this after getting the report from the Imo Elders Council, which was set up to look over the Charter of Equity on how to rotate the governorship seat among the three zones: Orlu, Okigwe, and Owerri.
Uzodinma said that the state will not see any hostile takeovers and that justice, inclusion, and consensus are still important for keeping the peace in the state.
The governor spoke to the Elders Council at the Government House Banquet Hall in Owerri. He said that the 2020 crisis, when he took office, showed how dangerous it is to exclude people from politics.
“Anyone who is denied justice may not want peace.” Uzodinma said, “We will stop any kind of hostile takeover by coming to an agreement among ourselves.”
He said that the Elders Council was the state’s conscience and that it was created by law to guide governance without any political bias.
The state’s top official said that there are plans to change the law that set up the council to give it more power, including punishing members who act inappropriately.
Uzodinma said again that the Charter of Equity takes into account the fair distribution of important political positions across the three senatorial zones. He urged everyone involved to follow zoning rules and stay away from politics that divide people.
He also said again that the state is in line with the federal government and thanked President Bola Tinubu for his support.
The governor was hopeful that following fairness and justice would ensure stability and a smooth political transition in the state.
“Charter of Equity is here to stay.” Believe in the Charter of Equity and listen to reason. Support the president and work with the federal government. Uzodinma said, “Then go home and pray and let God do the rest.”
He said he would talk to people from all three zones again to build on the agreement that will bring about political stability, which he says the state has not had for years.
He told the elders that their work would not end with his administration, as the body would continue to advise future governors in the state.
Eze Cletus Ilomuanya, the chairman of the Elders Council, praised the governor for bringing people together in the state earlier in his speech. He said that sustainable development can only happen when all regions move forward together.
Ilomuanya said that the Imo Charter of Equity should not just be words on a page. It should be put into action by making sure that everyone in the state has the same chances and that projects are spread out fairly.
He said that the charter was a promise to make Imo a place where everyone feels welcome and everyone can aspire to be a leader without being discriminated against.
Eze Ilomuanya told the governor to stick to the Charter’s principles of fairness, justice, and peace.
