-Claims frustrating Tony Ezenna for Araraume;
-Vows, no demon will stop Owerri Zone again
-Insists Ohaji/Egbema is part of Owerri Zone

The ripples of what to expect as 2015 general elections draw nearer, have started emerging, with revelations by Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu that he remains the undisputed godfather of Imo politics. In doing so, he however lost sight of the fact that on those occasions during which he insisted on his choice candidates, PDP lost the elections woefully, just as his APP chosen candidate, Dr. Ezikiel Izuogu equally lost to Achike Udenwa in 1999.

Speaking while addressing members of Owerri People Assembly (OPA) which he leads and the Owerri Peoples Front (OPF) led by Hon. Ebere Chukwuemeka at the recently concluded summit of Owerri zonal leaders, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu confessed that he singularly frustrated the popular choice of Chief Tony Ezenna of Orange Drugs who he acknowledged, emerged candidate, at the PDP primaries in 2007 and planted Senator Ifeanyi Araraume from Okigwe Zone as the fit and proper person to be given the governorship ticket of PDP that election year in 2007. Chief Iwuanyanwu said this was in keeping with the tripod stands of Imo State on zoning.
The Ikeduru born political juggernaut who in addition to being a Board of Trustees, (BOT) member of PDP is the apex political leader of Owerri Zone, explained that but for his prompt intervention, another Orlu man would have replaced Achike Udenwa as Governor in 2007, going by the type of money the Orange Drugs proprietor was ready and willing to throw about to induce the Imo electorate to jettison zoning and vote for him. A feat that was later achieved by yet a fellow Ideato man, Owelle Rochas Okorocha. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu who said his action was in a bid to preserve the sanctity of equity, fair play and justice as exemplified by the zoning arrangement, regretted the incident that resulted in an Orlu man, Owelle Rochas Okorocha scuttling the zoning principle in 2011.
As a way of restoring this unwritten zoning understanding, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu vowed that come 2015, no demon, including Governor Rochas Okorocha will stop the Owerri man from emerging the next democratically elected Governor of Imo State.
Speaking further in an emotion laden voice, Engr. Iwuanyanwu recalled that when in 1991, an Ikeduru man, late Evan Enwerem was elected Governor he was sacked by the Abacha military junta after just about 18 months, hence to allow an Orlu man another extra 4 years before Owerri Zone will take another shot at the Governorship, would imply selling their birthright like in 2003 when Achike Udenwa was re-elected against all odds having rated as the worst performing Governor in Nigeria. He then admonished those who elected Udenwa despite his poor performance ratings for insisting that Ohakim must go in 2011. In his keynote address, the OPF leader, Hon. Chukwuemeka who stated that the summit was organized in conjunction with OPA, to chart a way forward, expressed worries that if nothing is done to trim the number of aspirants from Owerri Zone alone, they run the risk of losing the Governorship slot in 2015.
He then called on Ndieze Owerre, Clergies, Political leaders, Youths, and the Women folk including those in Diaspora to endorse only one credible aspirant who parades the capacity and competence (3Cs) of winning the election. He also reminded them that Orlu people have always exploited the weaknesses of the Owerri people in order to excel in politics.

Courtesy: Community WatchDog Newspaper