A former member of the House of Representatives and Action Peoples Party (APP) senatorial aspirant for Orlu Zone in Imo State, Rt. Hon. Rufus Omeire, has firmly rejected assertions that the Ideato Federal Constituency operates under a zoning or rotational arrangement. In a statement issued on Wednesday, he insisted that only the voters determine who represents them and defended the incumbent, Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, against critics.
Omeire described claims that Ugochinyere benefited from zoning as baseless and politically motivated. He argued that no such formal arrangement exists in the constituency. According to him, Ugochinyere’s election reflected public confidence, including support while the lawmaker was outside the country.
He pointed to past representation patterns as evidence against fixed rotation. Former representatives Hon. Austin Chukwukere and Hon. Mbadigwe both hailed from Ideato North, he noted. Ugochinyere also defeated an incumbent challenger from Ideato South, a contest that reached the courts, further showing that electoral outcomes have not followed a rigid north-south rotation.
Omeire highlighted Ugochinyere’s efforts on infrastructure, particularly a bridge project for which President Bola Tinubu approved N26 billion. He said the Imo State Government later wrote to the Federal Ministry of Works seeking to take over the project. Omeire challenged the state government to identify completed projects it had independently delivered in Ideato, citing the Amanator-Isiekenesi-Dikenafai Road as an unfinished priority.
The former lawmaker criticised the practice of frequently replacing representatives after a single term, arguing it hinders sustained federal attention and development. He maintained that Ugochinyere has shown the capacity and energy needed for effective representation and should continue.
Omeire, who is from Ideato South, framed the criticism of Ugochinyere as an attempt by those whose time in office has ended to regain relevance. He characterised such attacks as immature and urged focus on the constituency’s broader interests rather than individual ambitions. Looking ahead to future contests, he said Ugochinyere would be prepared to defend the mandate given by the people.
Omeire called for an end to what he termed divisive political posturing and emphasised collective efforts to promote peace and progress in Orlu Zone. No specific timeline for further political developments was given beyond the general 2027 election cycle.
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