AN OPEN LETTER TO HIS EXCELLENCY, SENATOR HOPE UZODINMA, CON Governor of Imo State
AN OPEN LETTER TO HIS EXCELLENCY, SENATOR HOPE UZODINMA, CON
Governor of Imo State
Urgent Call to Restrain the Reckless Conduct of the Imo Harmony Project (IHP) Before It Endangers Peace in Imo State
Your Excellency,
With profound respect and patriotic concern, I write to urgently draw your attention to the destabilizing activities of a political pressure group known as the Imo Harmony Project (IHP), which has continued to exploit propaganda, historical trauma, and blackmail to manipulate public discourse surrounding the 2027 Imo governorship succession.
Sir, in recent times, this group has taken a dangerous and irresponsible turn by invoking the emotionally charged phrase: “On Aburi We Stand”—a dark and tragic reference to the Aburi Accord, which formed part of the events that led to the Nigerian Civil War. This war remains one of the most traumatic periods in the history of Nigeria and the old Eastern Region, with over two million lives lost. It is not only reckless but also deeply offensive for any group to attempt to blackmail you by drawing parallels with that painful history.
Your Excellency, this is not 1967. This is a democratic era guided by constitutionalism, not emotional intimidation. Imo people will not be held hostage by any self-serving elite group’s false entitlement to power. As you have correctly and consistently said, power is not given turn by turn; it is contested and negotiated in the interest of all.
The so-called “Charter of Equity” being peddled by IHP is not a legal instrument, not a product of any statewide consensus, and not binding. It is a mere advocacy position—conveniently invoked when it suits a particular interest group. We challenge the promoters of this phantom charter to present the minutes of its adoption and the list of accredited delegates present. Who recorded the minutes of the meeting? How many members attended the meeting? How many times did the committee sit? What were the committee’s recommendations? Who was present?
Was there legislative ratification? Under what legal authority can such a document override the free will of the Imo electorate?
Was the citizenry consulted through public hearings? Or was this simply an elite dinner table conspiracy?
More disturbingly, the leadership of the committee that crafted this so-called charter was handed to a prominent son of Owerri Zone, Barr. Dan Nwanyanwu—who is widely speculated to be nursing gubernatorial ambitions—as chairman of the so-called Charter of Equity Committee. This committee, by all indications, never met even once to deliberate on this highly sensitive issue, yet a Charter of Equity was declared in its name. What level of ethical violation could be worse than allowing an interested party to midwife a document that conveniently favors his own political interest?
Your Excellency, these are not champions of justice or equity—they are champions of imposition and intimidation.
Imo State has suffered enough political instability and disruption. From 2011 to 2019, the state witnessed a catastrophic collapse of governance and infrastructure when former Governor Rochas Okorocha dismantled every institution and initiative of his predecessor, including IROMA, which your predecessor, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, had built with assets worth over N12 billion. Today, Your Excellency has commendably restored IROMA and several other key institutions of Ohakim’s era—but let us not forget the lesson: a bad succession can destroy decades of progress overnight.
Therefore, it is not just prudent—it is imperative—that you select a successor based on capacity, continuity, and character, not on zone-based blackmail.
I respectfully urge Your Excellency to call these agitators and their media collaborators to order. Their continued deployment of civil war metaphors, false promises, and digital propaganda poses a real threat to the stability of the state. Left unchecked, this could spiral into something that endangers not only your legacy but the peace and unity of our dear State.
Governance is serious business. Succession should not be reduced to emotional blackmail and tribal ultimatums. The future of Imo belongs to all of us—not a select few.
Please act now.
With deepest regards,
Dr. Ifeanyichukwu Nwabani (PhD, Yale University)
Cc:
Senator Osita Izunaso – Senator representing Imo West (Orlu Zone)
Senator Ezenwa Francis Onyewuchi – Senator representing Imo East (Owerri Zone)
Senator Patrick Ndubueze – Senator representing Imo North (Okigwe Zone)
The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Police Command – Owerri, Imo State
The Director, Department of State Services (DSS), Imo State Command – Owerri, Imo State
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