An Imo community leader in Imo State, Chief Dr Christian Oweaya Anukam (KSM), Agbawodike-Izu of Owerri Nchi Ise has called on the politicians from Owerri Zone who intend to become a governor from the senatorial zone, to stop campaigning on the basis of zoning.
He also advised such aspirants to reach out to other zones of the state and get their support so as to emerge as candidates of political parties under which they want to fly their flags.
Chief Anukam, who has been receiving different delegations of the various political parties leadership and aspirants especially from Owerri zone seeking his support in his house, stated that campaigning on the basis of zoning has been the force preventing Owerri zone from producing the governor c f the state.
According to him, any politician from Owerri Senatorial Zone seeking to become the governor, must prove himself credible and trustworthy of occupying the exalted office of the governor of Imo State and capable of treating every part of the state fairly and equitably.
This, he said, is because power is taken and not simply given, adding that anybody who emerges the governor of the state must be supported to work for the good of the state.
He urged all political parties to stop the irritating imposition of candidates and give level playing ground for all aspirants to emerge as candidate or wait for another turn, saying that this is the only way the spate of defections from different political parties to another would stop.
“What encourages defection from political parties to others is this issue of imposition of candidates and not even giving level playing grounds to others to participate. It is only free and fair primaries that will produce popular candidates capable of winning elections and subsequently stop defection of politicians because any politician who is genuinely defeated at the primaries will have no option but to support his party to win the general election”, he stated.
He also advised individuals who claim to be leaders as well as zones to stop adopting candidates in the name of endorsement.
“So, situations where political parties claim superiority over decisions of their members and impose candidates on the people on the strength of the person’s pocket must stop so that party members can select their members as candidates based on their knowledge of the persons vying for positions”, he advised.
He added that instead of saying party is supreme, it should be said that the people are supreme and their decisions should count.
“But if the political parties insist that they are supreme by imposing candidates, at the election day, the people will prove they are more supreme than the political parties by voting against such imposed candidates”, he said.
Chief Anukam thanked the political parties for identifying with and recognizing his position as a trustworthy leader in Owerri Zone, but insisted that he belongs to every political party in the state.
“My reason for belonging to all the political parties is to protect the weak but most credible aspirants who party leaders usually cheat on the basis that decisions of political parties are more supreme than the opinion of the members who have chosen such credible persons”, he said.
Chief Anukam expressed happiness over the increasing number of political parties, urging individuals who feel popular among the people to join these parties to test their popularity.
