By Kelechi Mejuobi
The Imo Charter of Equity appears to have become a predominant creed on the lips of the political class winning attention in the political firnament of the State.
Apart from generating enormous interest in recent times where actors invent unprintable languages to address the matter, ethnic jingoists and established political marauders have been cashing on it to cause disaffection in the polity. Parading of distorted trajectory and highlighting half baked truths have become trademark tools in the hands of the campaigners using the mantra to seek relevance.
With the next governorship election meant to succeed Hope Uzodimma coming up in the next two and half years, the air in Imo has already been inundated with daily choruses of the Charter of Equity.
For the avoidance of doubt, Imo State, similar, to what is obtained in other states of the federation rests on a tripod of three senatorial districts of Okigwe, Orlu and Owerri.
The charter of equity, by implication, is a desire to have a balance in the share for the Office of the Governor by the three zones in Imo.
It has been noticed that each election year, deafening calls for the Imo Charter of Equity come up. But this year’s version is wearing a different dimension thereby attracting public attention.
Moments Hope Odidika Uzodimma was sworn in for a second term in January 2024 indicating his tenure should be over after 2027/2028 election, the Imo Charter of Equity mantra became recharged as a phenomenon dominating discussion in the political space.
The principle of charter of equity in Imo may not be foreign to states in the South East zone. From Enugu to Abia, Anambra and Ebonyi states, rotation of zones entitled to the governorship positions is in practice showing understanding among its political leaders. But in Imo State, the reverse is the case, thereby fertilising the regular resort to the Charter of Equity as veritable means of producing a governor of the state.
Permit me to go memory lane by stating that since the nascent democracy debuted, Orlu zone has had a fair share of the shot in Douglas House, otherwise known as the Governor’s office in Imo. This may have incensed the persistent call for the implementation of the Charter of Equity in the race for choice of Uzodimma’s successor by zonal chauvinists, particularly, those of Owerri zone.
Records have it that after Achike Udenwa kick started the Orlu zone dominance in 1999, he got a second tenure in 2003 which ended in 2007, before Okigwe zone’s Ikedi Ohakim took over. Ohakim from Okohia, in Isiala Mbano LGA was unsuccessful in his attempt to get a second term before Rochas Okorocha of Orlu zone came into power in 2011. Okorocha ably had a second term and during his exit was Emeka Ihedioha of Owerri zone coming on board in 2019. Owerri Zone’s Ihedioha was unlucky to go beyond seven months in office as the victory INEC handed him was declared invalid by the Supreme Court who announced Uzodimma the rightful winner. Again, through Uzodimma, Orlu zone came back to power. Uzodimma is from Oru East LGA, a part of Orlu zone. Now that Uzodimma has about two and half years to go, drum beats about Charter of Equity shaping his would be successor are beating greatly across the state.
Statistics prove that from 1999 till date, Orlu zone is having 22 years and will end up with 24 years on the saddle by the time the incumbent would have ended his second term, leaving Okigwe and Owerri zones with four and seven months respectively. A further recap informs that even during the old Imo State under Sam Mbakwe era, the late first civilian governor of old Imo is from Okigwe zone who had not more than five years before the military struck and punctured Nigeria’s democracy in the Second Republic. Owerri zone could only count not more than two years in Government House when Evan Enwerem became governor in 1991/92 before 1993 military interjected governance to scatter the democratic process.
Writers and commentators on the issue of Charter of Equity have added their views on the matter but most versions are warped in partisan proclivity.
There is no gainsaying the fact that the much craved Charter of Equity in Imo has become a deceitful tool regularly deployed by certain political characters to not just manipulate onlookers but also another chicanery by progenitors to gain undue attention in the field of politics.
A careful check indicates that Owerri Zone political class are the habitual harbingers of the Charter of Equity mantra in Imo politics. Agreed they are entitled to seek equity and balance of years in office considering the period the zone has spent in Government House, Owerri.
But the truth remains that a dosage of self destructive tendency and lackluster approach on the part of Owerri zone playmakers have so far denied them the chance to equal the number of years they have had in the Government House like others. Of a truth is that majority of the playmakers from the zone are fair weather politicians seeking where their interests are protected rather than quest to have Owerri Zone in Governor’s office. Past records are enough empirical evidences to buttress this point, though space can’t allow me to enumerate it.
I stand to be corrected to state that the so called Charter of Equity has never been relied upon as an instrument to chose where the governor comes from, partly due to the pattern of Owerri Zone politicians who run for the governorship contest each election year.
In 1998/99, during the primaries of PDP, it was gathered that contestants from other zones allowed or rather agreed to an “understanding” allowing Orlu zone produce a governorship candidate since the Zone had not had one in the past. Recall that in the old Imo, it was Mbakwe of Okigwe and Enwerem of Owerri zone who succeeded. Proponents of the Owerri Zone under the charter of equity argue that the likes of late Humphrey Anumudu allegedly agreed to relax their ambition in the PDP primaries and allowed Orlu zone produce the governor. Even as several discordant tunes have trailed this narrative, but it remains part of claims brandished by Owerri Zone pundits to be allowed to produce a governor in each election year.
However, events which transpired in 2003 when Udenwa sought for a second term dismissed the above story. Key Owerri Zone politicians lined up through different party platforms to take over from Udenwa, meaning there was no agreement. While Anumudu ran with the ticket of defunct ANPP after displacing Emeka Nwajiuba of Okigwe zone in the party primaries, Martin Agbaso of Owerri Zone contested under the UNCP which showed that the drummed Charter of Equity was a fluke. I am also aware the incumbent, Uzodimma showed interest under AD.
During the 2007 transition, notable Owerri and Okigwe zones politicians joined the fray and ran for the election, making the charter of equity a ruse. It’s on record that while Okigwe Zone had Ifeanyi Araraume and Ohakim of PDP and PPA respectively, Agbaso of Owerri zone came again, this time under APGA signifying absence of agreement for a particular zone entitled to the position. When Ohakim who won the 2007 election cross carpeted to PDP and ran the governorship in 2011, Okorocha came from APGA to win. One obvious fact remains that Okorocha’s victory was orchestrated by major political actors of Owerri zone who joined forces and stopped Ohakim of Okigwe Zone having a second term. Ohakim’s second term if realized would have automatically seen Owerri zone take over in 2011 to reflect the Charter of Equity after the two terms of Okigwe Zone. Apart from producing a deputy governor of Owerri zone extraction that backed Orlu Zone’s dominance of the governorship position, Okorocha won in core Owerri zone LGAs of Owerri Municipal, Owerri North and others which signified that Owerri zone asked for the continuation of Orlu Zone in power.
There is no need in this commentary highlighting names and roles of Owerri zone political actors who brought an Orlu Zone man into Governor’s Office In 2011 but mention must be made about their efforts that gave Okorocha a second term in 2015. At this juncture, I won’t also forget in a hurry the shenanigans of some socio-cultural outfits from the Owerri zone who started the campaign for an Owerri zone governor but for a suspected pot of porridge faded away when the chips were down for them to achieve their aims. Prior to the 2015 elections, some persons who are still in the battle to have Owerri zone produce Uzodimma’s successor commenced aggressive campaign and reach out awareness for the purpose. But the Owerri zone for governor under the Charter of Equity guise turned a cash out machinery they invented for self gain. Their outfits died a premature death before 2015 and most of them got juicy positions and recognitions in the Okorocha government. In 2019 Ihedioha was announced winner, most of them relaxed but the coming of Uzodimma, another Orlu man saw them pitch tent in Camp Hope, the political family of the incumbent, while those not accommodated fizzled out from the political radar. The last general election further exposed that the Charter of Equity is a mere slogan. Uzodimma who gunned and got a second tenure was bent on instituting Charter of Equity in Imo politics when he called to be allowed for a second missionary journey for the mantra to hold. But his main challenger in the November 2023 election, PDP’s Samuel Anyanwu (Sam Daddy ) is from Owerri Zone. Athan Achonu of Okigwe Zone who ran under Labour Party showed that it has always been a free for all battle for each zone during every governorship contest in Imo State despite the clamour for Charter of Equity.
Information emanating from Owerri Zone end has it that both those who ran into Uzodimma’s government for refuge and others on the wayside have started setting up fresh dragnets through various groups hyping the mantra with an intent to deceive unsuspecting sympathisers of the Owerri cause.
They have devised serval talismans to gain attention not to achieve their aim of ensuring Owerri zone gets it in 2027/8 but only an avenue to be relevant in corridors of power for the next dispensation.
Mejuobi, an Owerri based columnist and co-publisher of Trumpeta, is a regular commentator on contemporary issues.
