By Douglas Princemola
A growing political movement within Imo State’s Okigwe North Federal Constituency is demanding a leadership shift ahead of the 2027 general elections, as the Okigwe Youth Mandate (OYM) has publicly called on Hon. Princess Miriam Onuoha to step down from her re-election bid for a third term in the House of Representatives.
Speaking during a press briefing on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, in Owerri, the National President of OYM, Evangelist Kelechi Uzoma, accused the lawmaker of “chronic underperformance” and violating a prior one-term pledge famously captured in her 2019 campaign slogan, “Otu Onu” (Just Once).
Uzoma, an influential media figure and grassroots mobilizer from Isiala Mbano, described Onuoha’s legislative tenure as a “monumental failure,” citing what he called a lack of visible impact across the three local government areas—Isiala Mbano, Onuimo, and Okigwe—that make up the constituency.
After five years of glaring underrepresentation, it is both politically unjust and morally indefensible for Hon. Onuoha to seek a third term,” Uzoma stated. “In the spirit of equity and fairness, Isiala Mbano should step aside and give Onuimo its rightful opportunity to lead.”
The group insisted that political power within the constituency must rotate among the three LGAs to ensure inclusive governance. OYM emphasized that Onuimo is next in line, followed by Okigwe, as part of a long-standing but often overlooked zoning understanding among stakeholders.
The youth advocacy organization vowed to galvanize community support and voter awareness campaigns to challenge what it called “an attempt to monopolize representation.”
Democracy must reflect the collective will and aspirations of the people, not the ambition of a few,” Uzoma concluded, reaffirming the group’s commitment to political balance in Okigwe North.
