Charter of Equity not law, Imo govt clarifies

The Imo State Government has debunked reports in a section of the media claiming that Governor Hope Uzodimma said that the Charter of Equity had been passed into law.

A statement issued on Tuesday evening by the Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation, and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, clarified that the governor never made such a statement on Monday during a courtesy visit at the Government House, Owerri, by some leaders and stakeholders from the Imo East Senatorial District (Owerri Zone). Instead, he stated that the Imo Elders Council was the bill forwarded to the Imo State House of Assembly and subsequently passed, stressing the Council’s importance as an agent of peace and unity in the state.

The statement read: “The attention of the Imo State Government has been drawn to a misrepresentation of facts by a section of the media regarding comments made by His Excellency, Senator Hope Uzodimma, Governor of Imo State, during a courtesy call on Monday, 10th March, by leaders and stakeholders of Owerri Zone.

“For the avoidance of doubt, at no time did His Excellency state that the Imo Charter of Equity had been passed into law by the Imo State House of Assembly.

“Rather, His Excellency emphasised the importance of the Imo Elders Council as an agent of peace and unity in the state. Consequently, he forwarded a bill for its establishment to the House of Assembly, which was subsequently passed into law, thereby creating the Imo Elders Council.”

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The Commissioner clarified that the document was therefore not a law in view of the foregoing.

He added, “For clarity, His Excellency never said that the Imo Charter of Equity was sent to the House of Assembly for passage into law. The Imo Charter of Equity is, therefore, not a law.

“Imo people should take note and be guided accordingly.”

However, a statement issued on Monday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser, Oguwike Nwachuku, after the visit by the Owerri group, had attributed the comment to the governor.

The statement added: “By way of advice, the governor told them ‘to go home, reconcile, and unite’ themselves, emphasising that they should not overheat the polity so that he can continue to develop Imo State, as the Charter of Equity is not to serve individual purposes but rather the zone.

“I believe in the Charter of Equity,” he said, maintaining that it has become a legislative document, with the bill on it passed into law by the Imo State House of Assembly.”

Uzodimma spoke on Monday, March 10, 2025, at the Sam Mbakwe Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Owerri, when he received stakeholders of Owerri Zone extraction.