In a well attended meeting of stakeholders and members of Orlu LGA chapter of people Democratic party, PDP it was unanimously resolved that the party in Orlu LGA shall maintain its zoning arrangement which was said to have brought peace and harmony between the two clans in Orlu.
Orlu LGA which has two blocks, namely;Isu and Orsu had for convenience and avoidance of political rancor which could create bad blood among people of the area had in a written agreement in 1999 resolved that the positions of Executive chairman and lawmaker for the LGA should rotate between the two clans.This resolution has since been sustained till date.
As a matter of fact, the incumbent lawmaker, Hon Pascal Okolie is a beneficiary of the said arrangement as no Isu person joined the race in 2019 when he won under PDP.
It would also be recalled that in adherence to the zoning arrangement, Hon Marcel Odunze, an accomplished industralist who also benefited from the arrangement in 2015 when he constested under APC had in 2019 dropped his ambition for Orsu clan to produce the next lawmaker.
According a source close to Orlu PDP,the meeting which was presided over by Dr Vin Udokwu was held at the former governor’s ,Chief Achike Udenwa’s place on Saturday, April 10,2022 where the LGA reaffirmed its earlier zoning arrangement and called on every aspirant with particular mention to Hon Pascal Okolie to drop his ambition in accordance with the zoning arrangement.
Speaking at the well attended meeting, Dr Vin Udokwu acknowledged that he was part of the age long agreement of the LGA, adding that such arrangement has helped the LGA to remain peaceful and ensure even development.
Earlier, Oganihu Isu,a socio-political organization comprising leaders and stakeholders of Isu clan in Orlu local government area of Imo State had in a release signed by Pharm. Emma Ebere FPSN, President of Oganihu Isu, reminded leaders of the major political parties in Orlu, including the Peoples Democratic Party PDP and the All Progressive Congress, APC of the need to adhere strictly to the age long zoning arrangement as regards the distribution of political offices in the area by ceding their tickets for the Orlu state assembly seat to the Isu clan in the interest of equity, justice, fairness and mutual co-existence.
The group comprising professionals, technocrats, academics and business moguls committed to the progress and development of Isu clan who stated this insisted on the zoning arrangement which stipulates that power must rotate equitably between Orsu and Isu clans in such a way that if Orsu produces the house of assembly member for Orlu state constituency, the elected chairman of Orlu local government area would come from the Isu clan and vice versa
Oganihu Isu aligned its self with the submission of Orlu Equity Movement OEM, comprising youths of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP from Orlu local government area, which had earlier insisted on the zoning arrangement.
Recall that Orlu Equity Movement (OEM) comprising PDP youths from Orlu local government area, had in a release dated March 31, 2022, insisted that the occupant of Orlu state assembly seat, come 2023 must come from the Isu clan.
The release which was signed by Comrade Chidozie Anuebu and Engr Okey Ibe as Coordinator and Director of Contact and Mobilization respectively stated that, “”We wish to once again, remind the party leadership in Orlu LGA and beyond of an already existing zoning formula which makes it mandatory for power to rotate among the two political blocks of Orsu and Isu clan.
“It is on record that since 1999, positions of membership of the house of assembly and LGA chairmanship have always been rotated among the two political blocks.Hon Prince Dr Steve Orji from Ihioma (Orsu clan)served from 1999-2003. As s a gentleman, he adhered strictly to the gentleman agreement of one tenure.
The same thing applied to Hon Dr Peter Ukaigwe from Isu clan who served from 2003-2007.”
The release further noted that, “in 2011, Chief Peter Okorie from Owerri Ebeiri in Isu clan secured the PDP ticket. However, with the emergence of Owelle Rochas Okorocha and his team, Barr Mike Ndubuaku from Ogberuru in Orsu clan won the election on the platform of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2011.
“During the 2015 general election, the ruling party in the state at that time in line with the written zoning arrangement adopted Hon Marcel Odunze (Isu clan) as its flag bearer for the Orlu State Constituency Seat.”
“It is worthy of note that in that election both the PDP and the APC ceded their house of assembly tickets for Orlu State Constituency Seat to candidates from Isu clan.”
They further recalled that in 2019, Hon Max Odunze, the C.E.O of Max Aluminum Company as a gentleman and leader par-excellence that he is, respected the zoning arrangement and did not re-contest. He, by that singular patriotic action demonstrated the attributes of a leader and gentleman. This gave way for the emergence of Hon Pascal Okolie who hails from Okporo in Orsu clan.
“It is surprising to us as a group that instead of Hon Pascal Okolie who is a product and beneficiary of zoning to respect the age-long zoning arrangement, he seems to have thrown caution to the wind in his rumoured desperation to re-contest. This, to us, is still a rumour as he has not yet told us that he intends to re-contest.”
“Be that as it may, if there are people who should be considered for second term, it should have been the likes of Hon Onuora Olumba who was among the vibrant legislators who distinguished themselves as regards quality and effective representation.”
The meeting held at Udenwa’s residence was attended by Hon Peter Ukaigwe, former lawmaker for Orlu state Assembly;Hon Elochukwu Okeke, South Publicity secretary of PDP,;Hon Attan Ogoh, former Solad in Orlu LGA, Barr CC Udenze;Hon Barr I.C Mbachu, former LGA chairman and host of others.
