A former lawmaker representing Orlu state constituency in the Imo state House of Assembly and chairman, Voice of the People (VOP), Hon. (Dr) Prince Steve Orji, has sounded it loud and clear that the issue of zoning should be done away with if members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state were really serious in their quest to send Governor Rochas Okorocha packing from the Imo Douglas House in 2015.
According to him, “we must not capitalise on zoning if we must wrest power from the monster. If the party insists on zoning we might not get the credible or popular person than can face the incumbent who has made a lot of money waiting for us.”
The former Majority Chief Whip in the state assembly further advised the PDP to check their attitude in imposing the wrong candidates on the people, adding that a “kangaroo primary” could be conducted for a person to emerge but people could abandon him because of that and fail him in the main election.
He stressed that winning the primary election “does not give one the impetus’ to win the governorship election because you must be an acceptable candidate all over.”
“Things are changing. People’s ideas are improving from what it used to be. The issue of money is no longer in vogue. Let us look for somebody who is “free in heart,” who has not been found wanting or found in the group of fraudsters, 419ers or money swindlers.
“We have them a lot in governance. That is why we are suffering today. The people who will do the magic are here with us in Imo state, not in Abuja. Any attempt to impose Abuja candidates on us will spell doom for the party. And the party will find itself in danger.”
Orji seized the opportunity to describe president Jonathan’s last Saturday’s visit to the state as a welcome development which ensured the harmonisation of the party in the state. But he regretted that the absence of a PDP governor had cost the state a lot of visible federal government projects and hoped that it would soon be corrected.
