A coalition of clerics under the Mezie Imo Clergy Forum has endorsed Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, for a return to the Senate and a possible emergence as Senate President.
The endorsement was announced at the group’s second quarterly meeting held on April 28, 2026, in Owerri, where members unanimously backed the governor to reclaim the Imo West Senatorial seat and serve as a strong voice for Ndigbo at the national level.
President of the forum, Bishop Athan Azubuike JP, said the decision was driven by both spiritual conviction and political considerations, describing Uzodimma as a leader with the capacity, experience, and national acceptance to represent Igbo interests effectively.
According to him, the Southeast requires a strong and widely accepted figure in the Senate, adding that Uzodimma’s previous legislative experience and current role as governor place him in a strategic position to influence national discourse.
The clergy also cited his leadership roles in key political platforms, including the All Progressives Congress Progressive Governors Forum and the Southeast Governors Forum, as evidence of his broad political reach and acceptance across the country.
The forum argued that with the current Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, from the South-South, equity and regional balance support a shift of the position to the Southeast in the next dispensation.
Describing Uzodimma as resilient and politically astute, the group maintained that his experience in both executive and legislative roles equips him to champion Igbo interests and push for greater regional inclusion at the federal level.
The Mezie Imo Clergy Forum, a non-denominational body of over 1,200 indigenous priests across the 27 local government areas of Imo State, said its position reflects a broader aspiration for stronger and more unified representation of Ndigbo in national politics.
