Obaze: My governorship aspiration  does not negate  zoning in Anambra

ONITSHA, Anambra, Nigeria – Former governorship candidate and  aspirant in Anambra State for 2021, under the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) Mr Oseloka Obaze has said that his aspiration to be   governor of  the state is not a negation of any zoning structure.

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that there have been social media campaigns against Obaze since he declared interest  to  contest for the Anambra State  governorship come  2021.

Some PDP chieftains have continually  said that plans by Obaze who hails from Anambra north to contest for  the 2021 governorship election in the state was a negation of the same system he benefited from.

Since he made his intention to contest  for the post of governorship, many people have been seeing him as an ungrateful person. They said  he was fielded as the candidate of the party in 2017 because he is from the north, where the governorship ticket was zoned then.

“He ran and lost when it was zoned to his senatorial zone, and today when the position is zoned  to the South, he is still planning to vie again, and that is not fair” they said.

Obaze in a  reaction  said what PDP needs to field its best  in order to wrestle power from the ruling party. 

“It is true that the South Senatorial zone is not bereft of competent PDP politicians who can be good governors.

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“For PDP to succeed, it must present its best candidate and a united front, the zone from which the candidate emerges notwithstanding. The risk we face is the possible polarization and fracturing of the party over the so-called zoning arrangements.

“If I recall correctly, since 1999 PDP aspirants from the three Senatorial zones have always competed for the governorship ticket. It happened in 2013 and again 2017, so I don’t think it will be any different in 2021. 

“The inherent danger will manifest, if the South decides to allow their zone to scuttle the chances of a PDP candidate who is not from that zone. Where that to happen, the PDP will remain in the dog house and in opposition for another four years and perhaps, beyond. 

“Personally, what I seek is good governance in Anambra. There are capable people in PDP who can govern Anambra well, of which I can humbly count myself as one. But I am not too ambitious. Politics is about service not ego tripping. And certainly for me, politics has never been a do-or-die affair,” he  said.