Truth be told, Imo state is arguably the most politically disorganised state in the entire southern Nigeria if not Nigeria as a whole.
As discussions intensify ahead of future elections, it may be useful to revisit the history of representation in Owerri Zone, Owerri Federal Constituency and Owerri west through the lens of equity, fairness and political inclusion.
Looking at the Senate seat for Owerri Zone since 1999, the pattern reveals an imbalance that many believe deserves attention:
Senator Evans Enwerem – Mbaike
Senator Eze Ajoku – Owerri North
Senator Chris Anyanwu – Mbaise
Senator Samuel Anyanwu – Mbaike
Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi – Owerri North
By this record, Ngor Okpala has never produced a Senator for Owerri Zone since the advent of the Fourth Republic, despite being one of the major political blocs within the zone. On the basis of equity alone, there is a compelling argument that Ngor Okpala deserves serious consideration whenever discussions about zoning the Owerri Zone Senate seat arise.
The same conversation applies to the House of Representatives seat for Owerri Federal Constituency.
The record stands as follows:
Rt. Hon. Levi Oguike – Owerri West (One Term)
Rt. Hon. Uche Onyeagocha – Owerri West (One Term)
Rt. Hon. Ernest Ibejiako – Owerri Municipal (One Term)
Rt. Hon. Ezenwa Onyewuchi – Owerri North (Two Terms)
Rt. Hon. Ikenna Elezianya – Owerri West (One Term)
Hon. Tochukwu Okere – Owerri North (Currently Serving His First Term)
A simple examination of the numbers shows that Owerri West has produced the highest number of representatives, Owerri North enjoyed two consecutive terms under one representative, while Owerri Municipal has had only one opportunity through Ernest Ibejiako.
One point that often generates confusion is whether Owerri Municipal is part and parcel of Owerri Federal Constituency. The answer is unequivocally yes. Owerri Federal Constituency comprises Owerri Municipal, Owerri North and Owerri West Local Government Areas, and all three are equal stakeholders in the political arrangement, representation and destiny of the constituency.
This naturally raises a legitimate question: should Owerri West or Owerri North continue to widen the representation gap, or should Owerri Municipal be given consideration in the interest of fairness, balance and inclusion?
These are not questions of personality, friendship, political affiliation or individual competence. Every aspirant should be judged on merit, capacity, vision, character and ability to deliver. However, stable political systems are often built on a combination of merit and equity, not one at the expense of the other.
What many people outside Owerri West fail to understand is that zoning arrangements are not merely political conveniences. They are delicate peace mechanisms painstakingly built over years of negotiation, compromise, balance and mutual respect among communities and political blocs. Once political authorities begin distorting, suspending or selectively interpreting those arrangements to suit temporary interests, they inevitably plant the seeds of instability, resentment and distrust within the system.
There is an established rotational understanding in Owerri West. Attempts to alter the sequence, impose candidates or manipulate the process through the weight of political authority will naturally provoke fierce resistance from communities that feel shortchanged or deliberately excluded. People may accept political defeat, but they rarely accept what they perceive as injustice, especially when they believe previously agreed principles are being sacrificed for personal or factional advantage.
The zoning logic in Owerri West is not complicated. It is clear, historical and morally binding. Owerri West has three recognised ward catchment blocs: Oche, Ara and Umunwoha. The incumbent IMHA representative is from Ara, and after Ara has enjoyed two terms, simple equity demands that the seat should move to Umunwoha, before rotating thereafter to Oche.
In fact, Umunwoha was already due before the process was disrupted by the current occupants two terms. That political compromise did not erase Umunwoha’s entitlement; it merely postponed it.
So the question must be asked plainly: why is anyone even entertaining talk of a third term?
A third term can only be contemplated if the current occupant of the IMHA seat believes the entire people of Owerri West have no memory, no sense of justice, and no understanding of political fairness. Owerri West has always operated a reasonably seamless zoning arrangement, except when callous ambition or unforeseen political interruptions distort the process.
After Ara, it is Umunwoha. After Umunwoha, it should return to Oche. That is the spirit of equity. That is the formula. Anything else is political greed dressed up as entitlement.
The danger of repeatedly bending zoning arrangements is that it gradually destroys confidence in the political process itself. Once communities begin to believe that agreements no longer matter, every future arrangement becomes suspect. That is how bitterness accumulates, factions deepen and internal political crises become permanent features of the landscape.
What sustains political stability is not brute authority, intimidation or imposition. It is fairness, consultation, transparency and predictability. When people are confident that their turn will genuinely come according to established understandings, tensions reduce and cooperation becomes easier. Once the perception emerges that “might is right,” resistance becomes inevitable.
Unfortunately, one of the enduring challenges in Imo politics is the absence of strong institutions capable of enforcing political understandings and zoning agreements. The generation of political elders that negotiated and largely respected power sharing arrangements during the early years of the Fourth Republic appears to have given way to a more transactional political culture where principles are often subordinated to personal interests and financial inducements.
The culture of monetary influence has eroded public confidence in many of the institutions and individuals expected to serve as impartial arbiters. Truth, integrity and honour, once regarded as the foundation of political leadership, increasingly appear negotiable. Consequently, agreements that should provide stability are often discarded when they become inconvenient.
Whether one agrees with zoning or not, it is difficult to dispute that predictable power sharing arrangements help reduce political tension, foster inclusion and give every segment of society a sense of belonging. Where such arrangements are absent or repeatedly disregarded, political distrust inevitably grows.
The larger issue, therefore, is not who is contesting today. The larger issue is what precedent Owerri Zone and Owerri Federal Constituency intend to establish for tomorrow.
If equity remains a guiding principle, then historical representation must matter. If it does not matter, then stakeholders should openly admit that zoning and rotation are no longer relevant and allow political contests to proceed entirely on the basis of unrestricted competition.
What is unsustainable is to invoke equity when it favours one group and abandon it when it benefits another.
Leadership must also be careful not to mistake silence for acceptance. Communities may appear calm on the surface while deep grievances dangerously accumulate underneath. Sustainable political peace can only be built on fairness, mutual respect, adherence to agreements and a genuine commitment to inclusion.
The conversation before Owerri Zone is therefore simple but profound: do we continue to uphold equity as a stabilising principle, or do we abandon it altogether?
Whatever choice is made should be applied consistently, honestly and fairly to all.
That conversation is one Owerri Zone must have openly, sincerely and sooner rather than later.
Duruebube Uzii na Abosi
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