Imo State’s Elders’ Council adopted a Charter of Equity for the rotation of significant political positions across the three Senatorial zones in order to promote peace and stability in the state.
The three senatorial districts are Okigwe, Orlu, and the Owerri zone.
The positions of Governor, Deputy Governor, and Assembly Speaker stand out among these positions.
The Council has approved Governor Hope Uzodimma for a second term, stating that in addition to his creditable performance, his zone, Orlu, should be permitted to finish its eight-year term.
The Council announced in a statement following its quarterly meeting that it had decided to approve the Imo Constitution because it is a creature of law and wished to restore stability to the political system of the Imo Charter of Equity as recommended by its Strategic Committee headed by Chief (Barr) Dan Nwanyanwu.
The Council in a communique signed by HRH Eze Dr. Cletus Ilomuanya, the Chairman, and Rt Hon Maxwell Duru, the Secretary, the Council noted that upon a motion by Prof 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 Senator Hope Uzodimma from the Orlu zone is already the governor, the next zone to hold the office will be Owerri after which it will move to Okigwe Zone.
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 Archbishop 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 in order to avert any subterranean move by anybody or group of persons to truncate the Charter of Equity,” it submitted.
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 all Nigerians to work together for the progress and growth of the nation.
