Imo 2027: “We Know Those Who Won’t Succeed Uzodimma” — OZAC Declares, Plans to Unveil Five Owerri Sons Fit to Govern

The Owerri Zone Awareness Coalition (OZAC), one of the foremost groups campaigning for power rotation to Owerri zone in 2027, says it already knows those who stand no chance of succeeding Governor Hope Uzodimma when his tenure ends.

In a statement signed by its President, Emmanuel Okwu, and released in Owerri on Thursday, the group said credible intelligence had ruled out some categories of politicians from the race, though it could not yet predict who Uzodimma might endorse as his successor.

Okwu revealed that OZAC would, by 2026, unveil five prominent sons of Owerri zone it considers competent, credible, and widely acceptable to lead Imo State after Uzodimma.

He said the forthcoming list will feature individuals who possess integrity, capacity, and cross-zonal appeal — qualities OZAC had long identified as essential for anyone aspiring to govern the state.

According to Okwu, the group has been holding extensive consultations across the state’s three senatorial zones — Owerri, Orlu, and Okigwe — to build consensus for what it described as a just and equitable rotation of the governorship seat to Owerri in 2027.

However, he expressed concern that the Orlu zone remains the biggest obstacle to this goal, citing intelligence reports that suggest key Orlu political figures are intent on retaining power beyond 2027.

“OZAC’s latest findings show that while both Orlu and Okigwe pose challenges to our cause, Orlu’s entrenched political dominance remains the most significant hurdle,” Okwu said.

He added that the coalition is intensifying efforts to persuade Orlu leaders to support the power shift, describing it as a necessary step toward equity, peace, and political stability in Imo State.

“OZAC remains firmly committed to advancing justice, inclusion, and fairness,” Okwu reaffirmed. “Power rotation among the three zones is the surest way to sustain peace and strengthen democracy in our state.”

The group’s latest declaration has further ignited political discourse across Imo, as the race for 2027 begins to take shape amid renewed calls for an Owerri-born governor.