2023: Like Anambra, Ekweremadu Can’t Stop Zoning In Enugu state

In the run up to the just concluded Anambra state governorship election, it was a serious debate on whether the governorship seat will be zoned to Anambra south senatorial zone or thrown open. While some were of the opinion that it was the turn of ndi Anambra south senatorial district to produce governor Obiano’s successor, some argued that the state had no zoning understanding and that it should be open to all.

The debate for or against zoning was more on PDP Anambra state as APGA, YPP and APC understood the mood of the state with all their governorship aspirants coming from Anambra south senatorial zone.

In Enugu state, Senator Ike Ekweremadu is becoming the cog in the wheel of zoning, like some governorship aspirants in Anambra state on the platform of PDP attempted doing.

Those aspirants in PDP Anambra state have similar if not same arguments with what the camp of Ekweremadu is doing in Enugu state presently. There were arguments in Anambra that all the 3 senatorial zones; Anambra north, Anambra south and Anambra central have all produced governors and that it could start from zone. The Ekweremadu camp has copied this same argument that the 3 senatorial zones in Enugu state had all produced governors and that in 2023 it should be open to all. The anti zoning group is of the parochial conclusion that it can start from anywhere having gone round.

Again in Anambra, those against zoning went further to argue that Anambra south senatorial district had produced more governors than Anambra central and north. They claimed that Anambra south had produced; Dr Ezeife from Igboukwu who was in power for about a year, Chinwoke Mbadinuju from Ihiala who spent 4 years, Andy Uba from Aguata who was there for 17 days and Dame Etiaba from Nnewi who spent only 3 months. The anti zoning group concluded that if there should be zoning in 2021, it should start from Anambra north that produced only Gov Obiano or Anambra central that had only Chris Ngige and Peter Obi and NOT from Anambra South that had produced about 4 governors.

This is same with the arguments of the Ekweremadu camp here. They argue that Enugu East Senatorial Zone had produced Dr Chimaroke Nnamani, Chief Jim Nwobodo and Barr Christian Onoh.

Chief Jim Nwobodo and Onoh were governors of old Anambra state which included the present Anambra and part of Ebonyi states. They lumped them into their argument to continue hitting up the polity.

However, the leaders of PDP in Anambra state acted swift and was able to manage the issue of zoning and nominated the candidate of the party from Anambra south senatorial zone like other major political parties.

At one of their meetings with southeast zonal leadership of the party held at the govt House Enugu, a resolution was reached to respect the zoning arrangement in the state and support Anambra south senatorial zone to produce the successor of the incumbent gov Obiano.

That understanding in PDP was responsible for the emergence of Mr Valentine Chineto Ozigbo as the candidate of the party against the formidable opposition from Dr Obiorah Okonkwo who is from Anambra central senatorial district but had stronger support from most of the party members and leaders.

Relating the experience of PDP Anambra state in the last election with the opposition being mounted against zoning by Senator Ike Ekweremadu, I will assert that PDP Enugu state will respect a political arrangement that has brought a peaceful electioneering process in the state.

If PDP Anambra state could manage the crisis thrown by zoning in the last election and joined other major political parties to nominate her candidate from Anambra south senatorial zone, PDP Enugu will also overcome its present challenges and elect the next governor of the state from Enugu East Senatorial Zone, whose turn it is, to succeed the incumbent in 2023.

Source: AIF Media