The reported third-term ambition of Hon. Miriam Onuoha, the current representative of Okigwe North Federal Constituency, has triggered serious concern, growing resistance, and widespread disapproval across the constituency. After serving two consecutive terms in the House of Representatives, any move to pursue a third term directly violates the long-standing understanding that the three local government areas: Okigwe, Onuimo, and Isiala Mbano, must be given equal opportunity to produce representation.
This understanding is not merely political; it is a moral covenant built on fairness, balance, and mutual respect. It is the foundation that has preserved peace and unity within Okigwe North for years.
Attempting to override this arrangement by Hon. Miriam Onuoha, is not just ambition, it is a direct challenge to justice and equity. As Martin Luther King Jr. rightly warned, _“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”_ When fairness is violated in one part of the constituency, the entire political structure becomes unstable.
The Igbo philosophy of justice has always been clear: _“Egbe bere, Ugo bere; nke si ibe ya ebela, nku kwaa ya.”_ Let the kite perch and let the eagle perch; whichever says the other should not perch, may its wings break. I did not say anybody's wings should break, but anyone who wishes it for herself, we will help the person.
The Igbo proverb above captures the very essence of political coexistence and fairness. No single local government should attempt to monopolize representation while others are denied their rightful place. Equity is not a favour; it is a duty.
Leadership is not about occupying power endlessly; it is about protecting justice and strengthening institutions. Nelson Mandela once said, _“A leader is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead.”_ True leadership creates space for others to rise; it does not block the path to opportunity. A third-term agenda contradicts this principle and sends a dangerous message that power is more important than fairness.
History has consistently shown that when leaders ignore moral agreements and pursue personal ambition over collective harmony, conflict and division follow. Kwame Nkrumah warned that _“The forces that unite us are intrinsic and greater than the superimposed influences that keep us apart.”_ Any action that weakens unity and promotes dominance undermines the collective strength of Okigwe North.
Okigwe North is not the property of any individual, no matter how influential or politically connected. It belongs to the people, the people of Okigwe, the people of Onuimo, and the people of Isiala Mbano. Every community has competent leaders with the capacity to represent the constituency at the national level. Denying them this opportunity in pursuit of a third term is not only unjust; it is politically insensitive and morally questionable. As John Rawls argued, _“Justice is the first virtue of social institutions.”_ Once justice is removed, the legitimacy of leadership collapses.
The moral question therefore becomes unavoidable: Why hold on to power when equity demands rotation? Why disrupt unity when fairness requires balance? Why ignore a long-standing agreement that protects peace? I hope Hon. Miriam Onuoha and her team will provide answers to these questions.
As Thomas Jefferson stated, _“When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.”_ The growing opposition to the third-term agenda is therefore not political hostility; it is a democratic defense of fairness and collective agreement. Another Igbo proverb says: _“Onye rie oha, oha erie ya.”_ He who eats alone will be consumed by the community. Political dominance that ignores collective interest often leads to collective resistance. The voice of the people cannot be silenced when justice is at stake.
It is important to remind Hon. Miriam Onuoha that the peace and unity of Okigwe North must not be sacrificed on the altar of her personal ambition. Political maturity requires humility, restraint, and respect for established understanding. Barack Obama once noted, _“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we have been waiting for.”_ The people of Okigwe North are now speaking, and their message is clear: fairness must prevail.
The most honourable and statesmanlike path for Hon. Miriam Onuoha is to step aside and allow the rotation principle to stand. Great leaders are remembered not for how long they held power, but for how they protected justice and preserved unity. As Winston Churchill said, _“The empires of the future are the empires of the mind.”_ Leadership built on fairness and respect lasts longer than leadership built on control and ambition.
Okigwe North deserves balance.
Okigwe North deserves inclusion.
Okigwe North deserves justice.
The third-term agenda is unjust.
The third-term agenda is unfair.
The third-term agenda is unacceptable.
Shalom.
Uju Onyechere
🚶🏿♂️🚶🏿♂️