By Kelechi Ugo
A coalition of youths under the aegis of Concerned Obowo Local Government Youths has endorsed Hon. Kenneth John Onyekwere as their preferred candidate for the Obowo State Constituency seat in the 2027 Imo State House of Assembly election.
The group, led by Hon. Ndubuisi Collins Ogaraku, described Onyekwere—Chief Executive Officer of Gastrol Oil and Gas Limited and a member of the (APC)—as a capable and experienced leader whose track record in the private sector and philanthropy positions him to attract development to the Constituency.
In a statement issued on Monday, the youths anchored their endorsement on what they termed the “principle of equity and rotational representation” among the three political blocs in Obowo Local Government Area: East, West, and Central.
According to the group, Obowo West has held the seat for eight years through Hon. Celestine Ngobiwu, while Obowo Central, currently represented by Hon. Kennedy Ibeh, would have completed 12 years in office by 2027. They argued that, in the interest of fairness, the next lawmaker should emerge from Obowo East.
“It is a matter of justice and inclusiveness. Obowo East has yet to produce a representative in the State Assembly within the current rotation cycle. We believe Hon. Onyekwere is well-positioned to fill that gap,” the statement read.
The coalition further claimed that various stakeholders across the constituency—including youth groups, women’s associations, and socio-political organizations—are in agreement on the need to rotate the seat to Obowo East.
While calling on political actors to respect the zoning arrangement, the group also urged the State Government, led by Governor Hope Uzodimma to support what they described as a widely accepted demand for equitable representation.
They concluded by emphasizing that adherence to zoning would promote unity and stability within the Constituency as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
