The Labour Party (LP) governorship campaign organisation in Imo State has said the rotational initiative of the Imo Charter of Equity should not be beneficial to a single zone in the November 11 election.
The Imo charter of equity was initiated in 1999 and truncated in 2011.
The charter unanimously adopted by the Imo State Council of Elders is meant to clear the path for a smooth transfer and rotation of the office of governor between the three senatorial zones of Okigwe, Orlu and Owerri.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, the state’s Media Director, Athan Achonu Campaign Organisation, Ihejirika Emeka, stated that Orlu, Okigwe, and Owerri Zone have had 20 years, four years, and two and a half years, respectively.
Emeka added that there is a need for balance in the power rotation.
“You must give everybody that equity and fairness. The PDP are the ones who brought this up, and if every other person would agree to it, then it has to start where it stopped. It must not be rigid to suit a particular zone,” he said.
“Orlu has done 20 years. Okigwe zone, because they had the smallest local government, only did four years; and Owerri, two and half years, in terms of equity and justice.”
The legal practitioner argued that the initiative, which saw the Orlu zone last in office, should allow power to rotate to a different zone.
“He who must come with equity must come with clean hands. The charter of equity which is an unwritten gentleman agreement between those three zones infer that any zone that has to do their turn must do eight years, not four years.
“If we want to kickstart that charter of equity which is a gentleman’s agreement, but it must start from Okigwe zone, four years; it should not start with Orlu zone that has taken 20 years, where it stopped last,” he said.
The LP stalwart asserted that a chance should be given to every zone to put forward their best, adding that the ability to deliver the dividends of democracy is visible in these three zones.
“There is still competence, capacity and the ability to deliver the goods as factors to be considered in choosing people. It is all visible in these component zones,” he said.
“Why this zoning issue is coming up because of the incompetence of the present government especially in terms of security, service delivery, and economic development. They failed totally and that is why there is clamour now.”
According to him, the value the Imo charter of equity seeks to address is the injustice of the past. He added that the PDP was responsible for the resurrection of the charter equity its inception and again at its resurgence.
‘For Equity And Fairness’
The Special Adviser, Imo Orientation Agency, Fidel Onyekene, who also made an appearance on the programme, noted that the council of elders in the state are in agreement with the decision that drove the initiative.
He stated that the charter initiative was set to promote equity and fairness.
Onyekene argued that there was no court decision or written agreement that indicated a power rotation.
“What informed the decision of the elders’ party to come out with this charter of equity is just to ensure that there is peace, unity and progress in Imo State.”
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