March 28, 2024

Wawa News Global (WNG)

Your most dependable platform for the latest breaking news in Nigeria

Return power to Abia North in line with charter of equity, PDP elders tell Ikpeazu * Vow to resist disruption of zoning * Warn Abia Central, South * Prepare for battle

Gov. Ikpeazu

Spread the love
Return power to Abia North in line with charter of equity, PDP elders tell Ikpeazu
* Vow to resist disruption of zoning
* Warn Abia Central, South
* Prepare for battle
By Steve Oko
As the agitation for power gathers momentum ahead of 2023, elders and stakeholders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP,  from Abia North, have urged Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, to ensure ” power rotates back to Abia North in 2023 in keeping with the Abia Charter of Equity which recommends power rotation among the three senatorial zones”.
They urged Ikpeazu never to contemplate handing over power to either Abia Central senatorial district where it just left in 2015 after eight years, nor Abia South that will be completing its eight years in 2023.
The elders in a strong-worded statement, signed by the immediate-past Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Dr. Eme Okoro, warned of the grave dangers of disrupting the zoning arrangement, which according to them is capable of rupturing the prevailing peace in the state.
The statement obtained by Wawa News Global read in part:” We are here to appeal to you our dear governor to work with other stakeholders and men of goodwill to ensure that power rotates to Abia North come 2023 for justice, fairness and equity to prevail.
“We also enjoin you not to succumb to cheap blackmail and arm-twisting by the zone that wants to retain power or the one that wants to muscle out Abia North because it feels it has enormous resources to do that.
” Any attempt by any of these zones to covet power at the expense of Abia North would only torpedo the peace we have all enjoyed in Abia.
“The flame-throwing by the Ukwa La Ngwa people based on old-time delimitations by the colonial masters for administrative convenience is not just archaic and unexcitingly laughable, it also create divisions and disunity among the peace loving people of Abia State.”
Abia North PDP elders warned that the zone would not succumb to threats and forfeit its opportunity to produce the next Abia Governor.
“It would be worthwhile to inform them that threats of violence and intimidation have never been used to secure power in Abia and Abia North, though, a peace-loving people would not be intimidated into abandoning what is due to it.
“The threat of violence and resort to it is an ill-wind that blows no one any good. It would only create disunity among us.
“It is the turn of Abia North to produce the next governor of Abia come 2023. We are ready and we have our worthy sons who are more than capable to steer the ship of state.”
The PDP elders argued that since power rotation in the current democratic dispensation began with the zone in 1999, and had gone round all three senatorial districts, “equity demands that power returns to Abia North in 2023”.
“At this juncture, it has become imperative to take an excursion into the historical voyage that brought us to the present peace we enjoy. This excursion would also enable us navigate the present as well as set the compass to the future to enable us preserve the peace and stability that has naturally become part of us.
“At the onset of the Abia Charter of Equity in 1999, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu from Abia North Senatorial zone emerged as the governor of Abia State. By 2007 when Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu was leaving office after two terms of eight years, he ensured that power shifted to Abia Central Senatorial zone. He respected the Charter of Equity.
“As it turned out, Senator T. A. Orji from Abia Central Senatorial zone emerged as the governor because former governor Orji Uzor Kalu and other stakeholders rallied in support of that cause in obedience to the worthy Charter of Equity.  In continuation of that unbroken process, former governor T. A. Orji toed the line of his predecessor and ensured that Abia South Senatorial zone produced the present governor, Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu after Governor T. A. Orji had served two terms of eight years. He respected the Charter of Equity.
“As we approach 2023, the present governor and the last beneficiary of Abia Charter of Equity has the singular most important duty and responsibility of ensuring that power transits peacefully to Abia North Senatorial zone.”
They vowed to resist any attempt to disrupt power rotation arrangement in the state.
“In the present circumstances, we must be compelled by the tenets of democracy and natural justice to abide by the time-honoured virtues of equity and fairness and work tirelessly towards preserving the gains our fledgling democracy has made in our dear state. 
“Being avowed democrats who truly practice what we preach, we must resist any attempt to change the cause of our history. “
The elders urged Gov. Ikpeazu to honour his promise to sustain power rotation, saying that reneging will be dishonourable.
“Great men honour not just their words but also agreements even in the face of difficult choices. We know our governor is an honourable man. For men of honour, their word is their bond and they can go to any length to redeem their word whenever you give it back to them.”
 
They reminded the governor of his earlier promise to uphold the charter of equity, urging him to abide by his words:
“Dear governor, on March 7, 2019 Good your second term bid, while lauding the founding fathers of Abia for bequeathing charter of equity to us, you said and it was widely reported in the media:
“The Abia Charter of Equity stipulates that the governorship seat of Abia will rotate among the three senatorial districts of the state- that is Abia North, Abia Central and Abia South. Abia North governed from 1999 to 2007 when Chief Orji Uzo Kalu was governor. After his eight years tenure, he handed over to Abia Central from 2007 to 2015 with Senator Theodore Orji in charge. I came in 2015 for Abia South; going by the provision of the Abia Charter of Equity, Abia South should be supported by Abia North and Central to complete their term of eight years. “Based on this provision power should go back to Abia North where it started. We have men from the zone that can steer the affairs of the this state and make it work again”.
The Abia North stakeholders further argued that all states in the South East have since adopted power rotation among their senatorial districts, advising that Abia should not be an exception.
 
“Across the South East and beyond, democrats, progressives, men of honour and goodwill are standing up for justice, equity and fairness in their various domains to ensure that similar arrangements inherited from their founding fathers remain well and alive and passed unto the next generation to perpetuate peace, unity and stability. 
“In the last Anambra governorship election, Governor Willie Obiano worked with other stakeholders to ensure that power moved from Anambra North where he comes from to Anambra South, where it is supposed to go in support of the noble understanding of power rotation among the three zones in Anambra. Today, Chukwuma Soludo from Anambra South Senatorial zone is governor-elect of Anambra State.
“In Enugu State, elder statesmen, powerful individuals, many organisations including the highly regarded Enugu State Equity and Integrity Assembly have all lent their weighty voices to the noble aspiration of Enugu East to produce the next governor by 2023, being the zone where it started in 1999.
“And in Ebonyi State, the issue of maintaining the zoning arrangement without disruption has received resounding support and blessing of well meaning Ebonyians including former governor and erstwhile Minister of Education, Dr. Sam Omiyi Egwu who extolled the virtues inherent in an unbroken chain of power rotation.
“The latest in this group of men of honour and goodwill who stand solidly behind uninterrupted zoning arrangement is erudite Professor Ben Ayade, governor of Cross River State.  Ayade in his characteristic frankness has vowed to work with other stakeholders in the State to ensure that the next governor of Cross River State emerges from the South Senatorial zone, the zone where it all started in 1999.”
The Abia North PDP stakeholders appealed to governorship aspirants from other senatorial zones to shelve their ambition and support power shift to Abia North in 2023 just as the zone supported other districts during their respective turns.
“In ending this speech, we would admonish our compatriots from other zones to reciprocate the support they have all received from Abia North when it mattered most by lending their voices to this worthy cause and prevail upon the stakeholders to do the right thing.
“We are at the threshold of making history judge us right or wrong. Let us all be guided in our actions, inactions, utterances and silence as we continue on the arduous journey of building a strong, united and virile state all of us would be happy and proud of.”
The statement was later delivered to the PDP Vice Chairman Abia North, Elder Amah Abraham for onward transmission to the party Chairman, Rt. Hon. Asiforo Okere; and Gov. Ikpeazu, respectively.
Steve Oko, Publisher/C.E.O, WaWa News Global. For more information on advert placement and news coverage, contact us on: 08038725600, or via email stevemanofgod2000@yahoo.com; wawanewsglobal@gmail.com Always read WaWa News Global - Your most dependable online news platform for the latest breaking news in Nigeria.
READ ALSO:  Greg Ibe, solution to Abia's multiple woes - Campaign DG, Longman Nwachukwu * Says Abians now ashamed to associate with their state * Calls for obliteration of PDP from Abia's political space

About The Author

%d