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RENEWED HOPE OF NDI IMO
IN
IMO CHARTER OF EQUITY
By Engr[Chief] Julius O. Dike, KSJI, KSG, JP
Imo Charter of Equity is presenting a new and pleasant dawn in Imo State. It will serve as a building block of relief; reference will be made to it in years to come and historians will file it to remember Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, Governor of Imo State.
Equity is brought here to define fairness and to concretize its base in balancing truth with justice; it acts on absolute resolution and relies on the disposition of a willing heart with gravitas. To come with clean hands and heart in approaching equity the hands must be washed in the waters of history and the heart opened to understanding; for equity supports ruling on objectivity and absorbed confidence and the carriage in it is leveraged on sustainability.
The Imo Charter of Equity as tabled today is a strategic resolution that must not fail, it’s the first consideration with enormous endorsements, consents and consensus running through the communal nerves of Imo people; from the body of traditional rulers, religious leaders of different denominations, president generals of autonomous communities, youth and community leaders in all the 27 local governments areas of Imo State. They have all in turn adopted the Imo Charter of Equity. The emanating conditions that contributed to the consideration of adopting this charter of equity beckon on the need to have and maintain peace and unity in the polity and social landscape of Imo State.
From 1979 when political dispensation returned to the state to this time, Ndi Imo have had seven elected Governors with varying years of leadership tenure, with the thrust of occupied years favouring Orlu Senatorial Zone.
Yes, Imo State rests on Senatorial tripod but the Senatorial supporting legs are not equal in local government and population strengths. This is the teething concern, but win or lose, elections are hinged on population gains and strategies. And as long as elections are carried out, relying on scramble and survival of the mighty, it means the stronger the population and reach, the more inclined the outcome. It is a situation that might continue to stifle some some Senatorial zones if not addressed; the resolution lies in understanding, agreement and mutual consideration around equity to achieve any compromise. This is where we are coming from. The Imo Charter of Equity is central in mapping the route to a good destination and resolving the imbalance is very crucial. The letters of the Charter prescribe thus:
“That cognizance of the incumbency of the present Governor, who has done well, for which reason he was unanimously adopted by stakeholders for a second tenure…..and who constitutionally is entitled to a second tenure, he should be supported to go for a second tenure; after which, by this Charter, the Governorship goes to another zone.
That the next zone to produce the Governor after the incumbent is Owerri zone, which shall enjoy two tenures.
That the Governorship will move from Owerri zone after eight(8) years to Okigwe zone.
That after eight(8) years of Okigwe zone, the Governorship will go back to Orlu zone for two tenures and vice versa.”
This is the understanding the Governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, has consented to and pledged to uphold. Besides that, the constitutional right of the Governor to seek for a second term cannot be wished away, we must understand this. His right is supported by his enormous achievements which are glaring; ranging from infrastructural developments, injection of economic and investment derivable projects into Imo economic space to human development and empowerment.
Indeed, the Imo Charter of Equity is the bastion of “Renewed Hope for Ndi Imo”, it will guarantee indebt fairness and pronounced advancement in collective wellbeing of Ndi Imo. The boldness on the side of the Governor, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, in accepting to key in and implement this resolution is outright commitment in stamping harmony on Imo people seal of oneness.
And in reality the Charter is an undertaken and a covenant of trust between the people of Imo State and their Governor, His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma; it is like a bond of acceptance rolled out to embrace the desire of Imo people in establishing confidence, stability, peace and unity in Imo State.
Betty Williams in a Nobel lecture in Oslo Norway on December 11, 1977 wrote: “ We dedicate ourselves to working with our neighbors, near and far, day in and day out, to building that peaceful society in which the tragedies we have known are bad memory and a continuing warning.” In the light of that it is also true that memories help to shape future progress; I call on Ndi Imo and say, it may not be enough to engage in agitation, win or lose any contest or war, what is most important now is for us to support this determination to organize and establish peace and harmony. Yes, we can. And in the words of His Lordship, Most Rev Dr. Matthew H. Kukah, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto:
“We must shout at what diminishes any and every life in our society. Once human dignity is respected and restored, we will change our tone, but for now, our voice must have a sense of urgency.”
Right, in organizing and establishing peace and harmony, and in giving our voice the sense of urgency required, a template must be created to translate this intention into action; and the Imo Charter of Equity is the template of stability, peace and harmony in tune with this reality.
The Charter of Equity envisions an equitable accommodation and adopting it by all and sundry, particularly political actors across the three senatorial zones in Imo state will among other things help to consolidate understanding among Imo people. These windows of understanding and waiting accomplishments we hope to achieve include:
1] Imo Charter of Equity will guide in generating an equitable structure that will roll out space to accommodate agreeable balance of leadership in Imo State.
2] Imo Charter of Equity will put a stop to agitations and protests over domination by one zone over another.
3] Imo Charter of Equity will foster peace and brotherhood among Imo people, and will enhance support for the governor and cement oneness.
4] Imo Charter of Equity will drive and garner inclusiveness in leadership and governance, reduce and eliminate dissatisfaction and grievances among political practitioners. It will help to eliminate insecurity as it will attract harmony, peace and enhanced development.
5] Imo Charter of Equity will reduce or eliminate unnecessary political campaign expenses.
The architects of Imo Charter of Equity are members of Imo State Elders Council led by HRM, Eze (Dr) Ilomunnya, CON, Obi of Obinugwu as the Chairman and Rt. Hon Maxwell Duru, Ph.D, the Secretary. The Council is a body established by the law of Imo State, whose responsibility bothers on advising the government of Imo State and Imo people “on any issue of public interest for peace, unity and good governance of the state.” The Council is a non-political body and its composition cut across various political parties, traditional rulers, academia, captains of industries, various Christian denominations, and notable Imo people from diverse backgrounds. They are capped with knowledge of peace building in looking at what we need to do to strengthen the affinity of our common resolve as a people of Eastern Heartland; and this resolve is clearly embedded in the letters of Imo Charter of Equity.
The Governor of Imo State, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma, is working to place a niche of peace in Imo State; he is working to place a niche of prosperity among Imo youth; he is working to get posterity judge him right. As he walks into his second term as Governor, his IMO RENEWED HOPE agenda will come to fruition in Imo Charter of Equity.
Engr[Chief] Julius O. Dike is the Special Adviser to Governor of Imo State on Renewable Energy.
Engr[Chief] Julius O. Dike is the Special Adviser to Governor of Imo State on Renewable Energy.
