David Mbamara, a former captain in the Nigerian Army and a gubernatorial candidate for Imo State in 2023 with the Labour Party, recently co-founded the Owerri Zone Peoples Mandate (OZPM). In an interview, he discussed the legitimacy of several organizations purporting to advocate for the interests of the Owerri Zone. He specifically responded to assertions of preparedness for conflict made by Trinity OPOCA, led by Willie Amadi, as reported by THE SUN.
Mbamara doubted Amadi's strategy, questioning his plans' feasibility. He criticized Amadi for targeting leaders in Orlu zone, including revered traditional figures, over matters they weren't part of, and pointed out the unlikelihood of gaining support from Orlu residents for Amadi's gubernatorial ambitions under such conditions. He dismissed Amadi's threats as ineffective and emphasized the inaction of Amadi and his supporters during Rochas Okorocha's administration, where they allegedly failed to address mistreatment of their community.
Mbamara remembered how Okorocha removed two promising young men, Jude Agbaso and Eze Madumere, from their roles as deputy governors on what Mbamara characterized as fabricated charges. He also referred to a third person, Callistus Ekenze, who was assured the deputy governor position by Okorocha but ended up being used against his own brother, Madumere. Mbamara highlighted Amadi's inaction when Okorocha employed youths from Orlu zone to demolish the Eke-Ukwu Owerri market, a place of significant ancestral heritage to Amadi.
In his words: “Willie Amadi and others like him are making empty threats but where were they when Rochas was dealing with our people? Okorocha destroyed two of our most promising young men who served under him as deputy governors. I am talking about Jude Agbaso and Eze Madumere. He disgraced them out of office on trumped up charges. What did we do?
“The third chap, Callistus Ekenze, he promised to make deputy governor and used him against his brother, Madumere. What happened at the end? Willie Amadi is threatening to use Owerri youths to fight Orlu leaders but where was he when Rochas Okorocha used Orlu zone youths to destroy his ancestral Eke-Ukwu Owerri market?.”
Mbamara warned that if there were physical confrontations and property destruction, Owerri would suffer the damage, and once the conflict ended, Orlu residents would return to Orlu, leaving Owerri residents to handle the aftermath. He advised his people to refrain from making idle threats and to confront the actual challenges they faced.