Maduako Igbokwe l Saturday, Feb. 05, 2022
ONITSHA, Anambra – The Congress for Civil Society Groups, Abia State chapter has insisted that power must shift to Abia North Senatorial zone in line with the rotational practice in the state.
Coordinator of the group, Comrade Damian Ogudike, in a press briefing in Onitsha , Anambra State said power shift to Abia North is sacrosanct.
According to him, Abia North producing the next governor of the state would ensure justice, equity , fairness and peace in the state. He said that Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu from Abia North in 1999 took the first slot, followed by Theodore Orji from Central Senatorial zone and now Dr. Ikpeazu from Abia South Senatorial zone.
He said that by May 2023, Dr. Ikpeazu eight years tenure would expire, marking the end of Abia South, thereby completing the circles among the three zones. Ogudike said with the completion of the circles ,the slot automatically goes back to Abia North Senatorial zone .
He regretted that , some politicians from both South and Central zones have indicated their willingness to contest the governor of the state, instead of supporting those from north.
According to him, prominent among the politicians who have declared their interest were the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe from South, and the son of the former Governor who is the current Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly from Central among others.
He also urged politicians outside the North Senatorial zone to shelve their governorship ambitions to allow peace to reign in the state. He appealed to all political parties in the state to maintain the zoning tradition already established in the state for the 2023 governorship seat .
” We therefore call on all stakeholders in Abia State and persons of goodwill to join hands with us to ensure that the rotation of highest political office in the state Is maintained to ensure peace and development of the state” he stated.
Ogudike also argued that if Ndigbo is seeking for the highest political office in the land to be zoned to south east for the sake of equity, fairness and justice, Abia state should not jettison rotation of governorship position.
He contended that the established zoning formula has brought peace and creates conducive environment for the rapid socio-political and economic development.
According to him, all states in South East where the key political actors respected zoning arrangement, had always experienced peace and development.
“We can see this in Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi States .In Imo State where they have destroyed zoning formula, we can see crisis there every day. So, virtually in the entire South East even in other states of the federation, they follow zoning principle to maintain peace in their states. We cannot on our own invite crisis by jettisoning zoning formula” he warned.