It Cannot Be Denied or Stolen Without Their Consent!
By Bishop C. Johnson
In the soul of every genuine democracy lies an inviolable truth: sovereignty resides with the people, not with self-appointed gatekeepers. Yet, in Imo State, a group of unelected individuals hiding under the umbrella of the so-called Imo Elders Council has audaciously submitted what they called a “Charter of Equity” that seeks to hijack, restrict, and effectively steal the fundamental political rights of the entire citizenry. This provocative document must be rejected outright with the full weight of constitutional authority and righteous indignation. No cabal of elders, no matter how highly they regard themselves, has the moral or legal right to mortgage the political destiny of millions of Imo people.
The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) is unambiguous and uncompromising on this matter. Section 77(2) declares: “Every citizen of Nigeria, who has attained the age of eighteen years residing in Nigeria at the time of the registration of voters for purposes of election to a legislative house, shall be entitled to be registered as a voter for that election.” A mirror provision is found in Section 117(2) for elections into State Houses of Assembly. Furthermore, Section 7(4) extends these rights to local government elections, ensuring that every citizen qualified to vote and be voted for at the state level enjoys the same sacred right at the grassroots.
These sections, along with related provisions on qualifications for elective offices (Sections 65, 66, 106, 107, 131, and 177), establish the right to vote and be voted for as a core constitutional entitlement of every Nigerian citizen. This right is not a privilege graciously bestowed by any “Council of Elders,” zoning formula, or elite consensus. It is a birthright, a sacred trust, and a cornerstone of our republican democracy.
The so-called “zoning” or rotational equity, while it may occasionally serve as a political convenience or gentlemen’s agreement, remains fundamentally discretionary. It can never be imposed as a binding law or used as a tool to disenfranchise qualified, competent, and ambitious citizens. Any attempt to use a mere “Charter” to withdraw or suspend these rights without a statewide referendum or genuine, broad-based consultation of the people is not equity — it is naked power grab and political tyranny disguised as wisdom.
Let it be stated clearly: The Imo Council of Elders is alien to the Nigerian Constitution. It has no legal existence, no electoral mandate, and no sovereign authority to speak for or bind the people of Imo State on such fundamental matters. An unelected body cannot arrogate to itself the power to decide who may or may not contest elections, which zone may produce the next governor, or when the people’s rights should be suspended. This is the height of elitist arrogance that insults the intelligence and sovereignty of Imo citizens.
Fellow Imolites, this is an assault on your dignity, your future, and your children’s tomorrow. Imagine being told that your vote, your aspiration, your constitutional right to aspire and compete must first receive approval from a self-appointed group. This is not democracy. This is not equity. This is the systematic theft of the people’s power.
The right of the people to vote and be voted for is sacrosanct. It flows directly from the sovereignty of the people as enshrined in the Constitution. No charter, no zoning arrangement, and no group of unelected “elders” can deny, withdraw, or steal these rights without the express, informed, and democratic consent of the citizens.
We must rise as one indivisible voice across Orlu, Okigwe, and Owerri zones and declare: Enough is enough! The power belongs to the people. The future belongs to the people. No unelected charter shall steal it from us.
The Constitution has spoken. The people shall prevail.
Capt. Bishop C. Johnson, US Army (rtd), is a national defense and military strategist, and a political commentator.
