A professional group, Ebonyi PDP Equality for Unity Vanguard has rejected zoning of political offices in the state ahead of 2023 elections.
In a statement sent to 9News Nigeria by Elder Felix Okemini, Stakeholder, Ebonyi North, Hon. Pius Uchaji ; Party Chieftain, Ebonyi Central ; Chief Denis Ndubuisi Okoro, Stakeholder, Ebonyi South, said since the return of Democracy in 1999, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP has remained the ruling Party in Ebonyi State not until the November 2020 defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC of Governor David Umahi who was elected on our Party’s platform in April 2015.
According to the statement, “What is more however, is the fact that since the past four Governorship elections that ushered in Senator Sam Egwu as the first Executive Governor of the State in 1999, his re-election in 2003; the 2007 election that saw elderstatesman and one of the State’s Founding Fathers, Chief Martin Elechi in power and his consequent re-election in 2011 amidst stiff opposition to the decisive electoral victory of the incumbent Governor, David Umahi against the wishes of many from the Abakaliki bloc, Governorship, just like other elections in Ebonyi State has remained a hot contest between and among all the political blocs that make up the Salt of the nation.”
The group added that ” a historical review of past Gubernatorial contests prove that upon the return of Democracy in 1999, Uburu-born former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu from the Southern Senatorial zones of the State who was of the defunct All People’s Party with the support of the likes of Senator Chris Nwankwo among others of the Abakaliki bloc vehemently contested the Governorship election under the Party’s platform against Dr. Sam Egwu who vied under the People’s Democratic Party that was to later form the government at the centre. The then APP stakeholders of the Abakaliki bloc had however made a last minute U-turn to support Senator Egwu to emerge the first Executive Governor of the State on the strength of what was then largely considered as ‘Abakaliki solidarity’ against the Afikpo bloc comprising the old Afikpo division.”
“We recall that even within the PDP fold, Afikpo-born erudite Engr. Emmanuel Oko Isu who later emerged Senator Egwu’s running-mate keenly contested the ticket against Egwu on the principled grounds that he was one of the principal architects in the formation of the Party in 1998. His insistence in running for the Party’s Governorship primary and the reasonable support he garnered especially from PDP supporters in the old Afikpo bloc was hinged on the unwritten agreement that it was only rationale for the bloc to produce the first Executive Governor of the State since the Abakaliki bloc had been chosen as the capital of the State which was graciously created by General Sani Abacha in 1996.”
“In 2003 when Senator Egwu sought for his second tenure in office, this group also recalls that there were divergent interests from across every divide in the State. The mere fact that Ambassador Frank Ogbuewu who vied under the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA gave PDP a hot contest and even challenged the outcome in a tribunal attests to our stated position that the Governorship race has always been opened for contests.”
” Also in 2007 when the battle for Egwu’s successor began and Chief Martin Elechi from the Central Senatorial zone was ‘settled for’ by stakeholders of the PDP, Dr. Onu, now under the defunct ANPP returned with his interest and indeed, again, vehemently contested for the exalted position of the Governorship seat of Ebonyi State. Even though fate played out and he lost, at least there was also a very keen contest that was nearly close to call.”
“A fast-forward recap to the events of 2015 election which is still very fresh in our memories shows that but for the doggedness and determination of the incumbent Governor, David Umahi and his cheer resilience and capacity to rally Southern stakeholders and a few others from the Abakaliki bloc, power wouldn’t have shifted to Ebonyi South Senatorial zone in the first instance. A fading Elechi government, using all available State resources and other instruments at their disposal was hell-bent on foisting his in-law and former Billionaire-contractor who made fortunes from the Elechi government on Ebonyians. Their labour under the Labour Party platform was intense just as grace prevailed and Umahi who flew the PDP’s ticket against Elechi’s will and desire had his way.”
“Hence, this group just like other reasonable Ebonyians is stunned by the plots by some personalities to shut out certain individuals, no matter how credible from the 2023 Governorship race hiding under the guise of zoning.”
“Having lost an elected Governor to the ruling APC in the person of Engr. David Umahi in November 2020, we had earnest expected that the PDP would be most circumspect in its battle to reclaim the State in 2023 by throwing its trump cards open for competitiveness and equality- taking more into accounts the characters, pedigrees and track-records of all those interested in vying for an office either in the soon-coming State Congresses or in the 2023 general elections.”
“Having lost a big fish like Umahi, the Party’s elites and stakeholders alike must shun personal and selfish interests in their quest to reclaim Ebonyi. They must give every Party member who has interest in taking up leadership role (s) at any level a fair-hearing. It is only by so doing that the unity they preach could be actualized and the foundations of Party can withstand any attacks without cracks.”
“In our thinking as rationale beings, the joy of our Party’s elites, stakeholders, members, supporters and admirers alike should be the fact that our Party- the PDP has through fatalistic orchestrations been able to rotate powers among the three Senatorial zones of the State. In the final quest therefore, it is our honest submission that qualities such as competence and credibility should rather play a key role in who wields our Party’s ticket at any level, not such primordial considerations as zone, colour, religion or tribe.”
“Our great Party is in dire need of a rescuer who can steer the ship to ensure our Party’s flag is re-hoisted in the Government House, Abakaliki. That for us should be the interest of every concerned lover of the PDP in Ebonyi!”
