BY: EMMANUEL CHUKWUMA, ENUGU.

The political atmosphere in Imo West Senatorial District took a decisive turn as the Orlu Political Consultative Assembly (OPOCA) issued a sweeping directive barring any aspirant from the zone from contesting the 2027 senatorial election against Governor Hope Uzodimma.

The declaration, made during a world press conference at the OPOCA National Secretariat in New Owerri, effectively positions the governor as the sole and unopposed consensus candidate of Orlu Zone.

Addressing Journalists and political stakeholders, OPOCA described its position as “total, unanimous, and irrevocable,” leaving no room for internal contest within the All Progressives Congress (APC) or across the zone’s political landscape.

The group’s National President, Chief Barr. Sokom Rex Anunobi, who spoke on behalf of the assembly’s leadership, said the decision was a direct consolidation of the overwhelming endorsement earlier demonstrated by APC leaders and stakeholders across the twelve local government areas of Orlu Zone.

That earlier development saw party leaders formally purchase and present the senatorial nomination form to Governor Uzodimma through his Chief of Staff, Barrister Nnamdi Anyaehie, in what observers described as a rare show of unity and political coordination.

OPOCA framed its resolution as a response to what it called “visible and unprecedented transformation” under Uzodimma’s leadership over the past six years. The group cited improvements in infrastructure, security, and economic activity as key factors behind what it termed a collective decision rooted in performance rather than sentiment.

According to the assembly, the governor’s prior experience as a ranking senator gives him a distinct advantage, combining legislative depth with executive experience. It argued that his return to the Senate would strengthen the zone’s access to federal opportunities, particularly within the framework of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

In one of the strongest elements of the declaration, OPOCA warned that any individual from Orlu Zone who chooses to pursue a senatorial ambition contrary to its directive would be regarded as acting against the collective interest of the people.

The statement signals an attempt to enforce internal political discipline and prevent fragmentation ahead of the 2027 elections, especially within the APC’s dominant structure in the zone.

Within the gathering, there was no sign of dissent. Representatives of traditional institutions, youth groups, professional bodies, and grassroots political actors were said to be in alignment with the resolution, reinforcing OPOCA’s claim of a broad-based consensus.

As the 2027 election cycle gradually takes shape, the pronouncement by OPOCA has set a clear tone. In Orlu Zone, the path to the Senate is firmly reserved for one man, Senator Hope Uzodimma.