Imo Guber: Why Uzodimma’s deputy must come from Okigwe Zone
… Rubby Emele is best option
By Peter Dibia.
Obviously, equity demands that he who comes to it must come with a clean hand. Because equity suffers no wrong to go without remedy.
Imo State is divided into three senatorial zones namely Orlu, Okigwe and Owerri of which power is usually shared to accommodate each zone.
It is no longer news that His Excellency, Governor Hope Uzodimma, has reportedly dropped Prof. Placid Njoku, the Deputy Governor of Imo State, as his running mate, in the November 11 2023 guber poll and submitted Hon. Ralph Nwosu’s name, the state Commissioner for Works, to INEC as a place holder for the number two slot. Nwosu hails from Oru East Local Government Area which is in Orlu Zone.
Some newspapers published names of some core loyalists of the Governor who were mentioned would be his running mates. Among them were Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Chief Mrs. Rubby Emele (the best among them), the state Chairman of APC, Hon. MacDonald Ebere, Chief Harrison Njoku (Haritex), former Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Acho Ihim, Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Matters, Barr. Enyinnaya Onuegbu, Member representing Okigwe Federal Constituency, Hon. Chike Okafor, among others.
Although, the Governor has not officially unveiled his running mate. But there seems to be serious lobbying for the deputy governorship candidate position by Owerri and Okigwe senatorial zones.
Your Excellency, since the beginning of Imo State, Okigwe Zone has never had a fair share of the slot for deputy governorship position except the Late Ebere Udeagu.
History has it that after the regime of Chief Achike Udenwa, the Imo State deputy governorship slot was held by Owerri Zone for More than 20 years, ranging from Dr. Lady Ada Okwuonu, who is from Mbaise, Jude Agbaso (Owerri North), Prince Eze Madumere, (Mbaitoli) and Prof. Placid Njoku, who hails from Ikeduru.
His Excellency, it will be fair if your deputy will be selected from Okigwe Zone, being a pragmatic woman.
Opinion sampled across the state shows that people are of the voice that your deputy should be a woman and the only woman mentioned to be the best from Okigwe Zone is the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Rubby Emele.
Emele is indeed a woman of substance whose passion and commitment are to ensure that your 3Rs agenda is fully implemented in the state.
Since her appointments, no questionable report has been lodged against her. Chosen her as your deputy, dear Governor, will go a long way to accommodate and wipe out the tears of Imo women who have been clamouring for women being fully included in politics and governance in Imo State.
