POLITICS OF GRASSROOTS MOBILISATION: WHY OKIGWE NORTH SHOULD TURN TO HON. CHIEF JAMES UBA ESILE FOR 2027 REPRESENTATION
An Editorial from the Archives on Loyalty, Structure, and the Politics of Reward in Imo State: Hon. James Uba Is Not A Political Experiment
-ISSN:2354-4481
By Placidus Izuchukwu Ekwezue
Three years ago, during a defining moment in the political evolution of Imo State, the Fresh Air Movement, a grassroots political structure founded and led by Hon. Chief James Uba Esile, member representing Onuimo State Constituency in the Imo State House of Assembly, made a historic declaration of loyalty and alignment with the Shared Prosperity administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma.
At its quarterly State Executive Council meeting, with representation cutting across the 27 Local Government Areas of Imo State, the movement unanimously endorsed Governor Uzodimma for a second term in office. That endorsement was not symbolic—it was strategic, structured, and deeply rooted in grassroots mobilisation.
In the months that followed, Fresh Air Movement became one of the most active political support platforms in the state. Through coordinated engagement across wards, communities, and local government structures, the movement contributed significantly to voter mobilisation ahead of the November 11 governorship election. The outcome remains one of the most remarkable electoral victories in Nigeria’s recent political history: a clean sweep of 27 out of 27 LGAs—an unprecedented feat in Imo State and a record that resonates across the Southeast.
However, the story of Fresh Air Movement does not end with the election victory. It has remained a living political structure. Its members continue to actively support government policies, participate in civic engagement programmes of the Imo State Government, and serve as a bridge between rural communities and the administration of Governor Hope Uzodimma.
Most recently, the movement demonstrated its enduring organisational strength during the APC Digital Membership Registration exercise, where Fresh Air members were visibly present and actively engaged across the 305 wards of Imo State, further reinforcing the grassroots reach and relevance of the structure within the party.
At the centre of this political machinery is Hon. Chief James Uba Esile—a first-term legislator in the 10th Assembly representing Onuimo State Constituency, and the founder and President of Fresh Air Movement. His political journey has been defined by loyalty, organisational capacity, and consistent delivery of grassroots political value to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Today, as the political conversation shifts toward the Okigwe North Federal Constituency seat, a compelling case emerges for equity, fairness, and zoning balance. Onuimo Local Government Area, after years of political patience and structured participation in party development, stands at a critical point in its political history.
It is a moment that calls for recognition not only of political rotation but of demonstrated capacity.
Hon. James Uba Esile is not a political experiment. He is a tested mobiliser, a grassroots organiser, and a consistent supporter of party stability. Through Fresh Air Movement, he has built a political network that cuts across all 27 LGAs of Imo State—an organic advantage that any serious party structure would consider invaluable.
In modern electoral politics, structures win elections more than rhetoric. Grassroots connectivity determines political strength more than seasonal popularity. On this measure, Fresh Air Movement stands out as a strategic asset for the APC in Okigwe North and beyond.
It is therefore a matter of political wisdom and justice that party leaders in Okigwe North Federal Constituency consider the principle of zoning, fairness, and reward for loyalty in the upcoming APC primary. Supporting Hon. James Uba Esile is not merely a concession to Onuimo’s turn; it is an investment in a candidate whose political base is already an active extension of the APC’s organisational strength.
As the APC prepares for critical decisions ahead of the 2027 general elections, it must not only choose candidates who can contest—but candidates who can deliver. In Hon. Esile, the party has both a loyal servant and a proven mobiliser whose political structure has already demonstrated measurable electoral impact.
The call, therefore, is simple: fairness, equity, and political foresight demand that Okigwe North look in the direction of Hon. Chief James Uba Esile—for continuity, inclusiveness, and strategic political advantage.
Hon. Placidus Izuchukwu Ekwezou,
Writes From Okigwe Local Government Area, Imo State.
