By Kelechi Ugo.
The long debated Imo “Charter of Equity” has taken a different dimension as a billionaire business mogul,High Chief Tony Chukwu (Onweghihekariri Chineke) has insisted that Owerri Zone should choose between producing the next Governor of Imo State and housing the Capital Territory of the State.
Recall that the owner of one of the road construction giants, Chief Tony Chukwu fondly called,”Julius Berger of Igbo land” had on Sunday 13th April,2025 dismissed an assertion made by CEO of Zinox Group, Chief Leo Stan Eke that it is the turn of Owerri Zone to produce Governor Hope Uzodimma’s successor come 15th January,2028.
However, Chief Leo Stan Eke hosted the award winning Governor of Imo State, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma in his Lagos palatial home where critical stakeholders gathered to cheer the Governor up for emerging the Vanguard Newspapers “Infrastructure Governor of the year”.
Meanwhile, Chief Eke’s mission to take advantage of the gathering and preach the interest of Owerri Zone hit a brick wall as Chief Tony Chukwu,a true Son of Ehime Mbano quickly stood up and countered the narrative, demanding that Imo Capital should be moved to Okigwe Zone to balance developmental index in the State.
Chief Tony Chukwu did not stopped at,but cited so many developmental strides situated in Owerri to include tertiary health centres, tertiary institutions both State and Federal owned institutions among others.
In an interaction with some Imo State based Journalists via cellphone on Tuesday 15th April,2025, Chief Tony Chukwu stated that he was not meant to hurt anybody, but stated that the truth must be told.
He regretted that his Okigwe Zone has been marginalized insisting that the State Capital should go to Okigwe Zone for speedy development if Owerri Zone must succeed Governor Hope Uzodimma.
“All the past and current governors of Imo State concentrated on developing Owerri.
70 percent of the current roads revolution in Imo State are situated in Owerri. So,let the State Capital come to Okigwe Zone so that we will have our own share of development “,he concluded.
