November 11th Imo State Governorship Election As A Referendum

Choices are before the people. The election is a referendum of sort. The people will choose either to consolidate the gains of the last three and more years of Gov Uzodimma’s administration or a retreat to the dark eras of the past.

A very interesting aspect of this election is that each of the three zones that make up the state has a candidate. So this makes it a duty for the people to know which of the three horses they will bet on and back. Each of the candidate has been a senator but the only one who has been a governor is Sen Hope Uzodimma. So, the campaign is more of performances rather than promises.

The election therefore, should be based on issues like capacity, antecedents and track records of service deliveries. Like I said, the election is about he who can do the best job. There’s no way to know this other than to look at the records of Gov Uzodimma within the period of review. For lack of space and time here, let me simply say that, in view of what we see in the state, in terms of infrastructural developments, the governor holds the ace. In terms of restoring the lost glorious days of the state, he is on top and in terms of connecting the state to the higher national grids of politics, economy and honour, he tops the chart. There’s no comparing apple and bitter kola, each has a different taste and impact.

Beyond the laudable service deliveries of the governor, there is also the need to give a final electoral endorsement to the Imo state charter of equity as proposed, sealed and delivered by the wise and eminent Imo state council of elders. The election will be a historic one in this sense as it will afford the Imo electorates the opportunity to choose between the rotations of the office of the governor among the component zones of the state or the constant domination by one zone. The election to a greater extent, is not about the candidates or even their parties. It is more about the peaceful coexistence of the state, equity, natural justice and fair play as espoused by the wise elders.

On this note, the choice of the present governor is of great significance in all considerations. At the risk of self repetitions, I dare say that a vote and victory for Gov Hope Uzodimma will be a vote for a new political renaissance in the state where the conscious reality of the zoning formula will not only be established but also reside in the individual and collective consciousness of the people. This more than anything, will begin the processes of the healings of the political and social wounds which the other zones had suffered over the years.

To achieve this, let no one allow himself to be deceived by doomsayer mathematicians on how long Orlu zone has dominated the office. This certainly, is not the issue. The issue is, this is the only time that a consensus has been reached beyond the mere gloat of political manoeuvring for a rotation. This is the real time thereof for all the zones to come together under the present governor who has given his commitment fearlessly to ensure the implementations of the letters and spirits of the charter after his second tenure.

Imo people are urged irrespective of zone or party to stand behind Gov Uzodimma by massively voting for him and ensuring his victory come November 11th, 2023.

This is what we should adopt and achieve as the referendum for a new beginning in and for our dear state