In a historic move to engender peace and stability in Imo, the state’s elders’ council has adopted a Charter of Equity for the rotation of key political offices among the three senatorial zones.
Notable among these offices are those of the governor, deputy governor and speaker of House of Assembly.
Consequently, the council has endorsed Governor Hope Uzodimma for a second tenure, saying apart from the fact that he has performed creditably, his zone, Orlu should be allowed to complete its term of eight years.
In a communique issued at the end of its quarterly meeting, the council noted that since it is a creation of law and desirous to bring stability to the polity, it decided to adopt the Imo Charter of Equity as recommended by by its Strategic Committee headed by Dan Nwanyanwu.
In the communique signed by Cletus Ilomuanya, the chairman and Maxwell Duru, the secretary, the council noted that upon a motion by Maurice Iwu, it adopted in its entirety the Imo Charter of Equity.
According to the Charter, the governorship of the state will rotate among the three senatorial zones of Orlu, Okigwe, and Owerri for eight years each.
It noted that since Uzodimma from Orlu zone is already the governor, the next zone to hold the office will be Owerri after which it will move to Okigwe.
The Charter of Equity also decrees that both the governor and the deputy governor cannot come from the same zone, just like the governor and the speaker cannot come from the zone.
Accordingly, the council urged other aspirants to the governorship position in the November 2023 election to allow Uzodimma to complete Orlu zone’s eight years tenure after which Owerri zone will take over.
The council thereafter, upon a motion by David Onuoha, resolved to hold an interdenominational service to present the resolutions to God and seek his blessings for the charter.
“We resolved that the leadership of the political parties in the state, the traditional rulers, the academia and religious leaders as well as captains of industries and Imo people should congregate in an interdenominational service to seek the face of God to avert any subterranean move by anybody or group of persons to truncate the Charter of Equity,” it said.
The council argued that the Charter of Equity was designed and adopted to ensure a just, equitable and seamless transfer of power from one zone to the other.
The council, however, commended the state governor for all his developmental efforts since his assumption of office and urged him to set aside a day in the nearest possible time to brief members of the council on the activities of his government.
In other resolutions, the council condemned the violence visited on Igbo in Lagos by some political miscreants, and urged Nigerians to work together for the progress and growth of the nation.