2023 guber poll: Ugwuanyi, ex-govs, others agree on Enugu East’s turn ― Nnamani

Ahead of the 2023 gubernatorial election in Enugu State, prominent political leaders across parties led by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi have decided that the next chief executive of Enugu State should emerge from Enugu East zone.

This is according to former governor, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, who revealed in a statement made available to the media in Abuja Sunday that the agreement arrived at by leaders across political parties was necessary to engender equity and inclusion.

The other leaders in agreement with the idea according to him, are former governors Jim Nwobodo, Sullivan Chime; former Senate president, Ken Nnamani and former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Okwesilieze Nwodo.

According to the statement, the decision to go with Enugu East in 2023 is irrevocable.

The statement observed that the principle of zoning of key political offices has been sustained in the state since 1999.

Senator Nnamani from Enugu East zone was the governor of the state from 1999 to 2007; Chime from Enugu West zone from 2007 to 2015, while the incumbent governor Ugwuanyi is from Enugu North.

Nnamani commended the political leaders for their stance in affirming the zoning principle especially the turn of Enugu East zone to produce the next governor.

The serving senator reiterated that justice and fairness demanded that the zoning principle be respected by the political players in the state.

He added: “It has fostered peace and harmony while giving every zone a sense of belonging,” adding: “After reviewing the principled stands of the respected elders and statesmen which included four former governors and a former Senate President, I am convinced more than ever before that Gov. Ugwuanyi and the political leaders in the state will be guided by keen sense of history and conscience in picking the next governor of the state from Enugu east zone.”

Nnamani described zoning as a major selling point of the PDP in Enugu state, observing “it has ensured peace, balance and even development.”

The former governor expressed the hope that other political parties including All Progressive Congress (APC) and All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) will follow suit in upholding zoning and ceding their governorship tickets to Enugu East zone.

However, in a reaction to the move, a political pressure group by the name Enugu Rescue Group (ERG), has denounced the leaders’ position as a gang-up that is bound to fail especially as they believe that it is targeted at the ambition of former deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu who is from the Enugu West zone.

In a statement also issued in Abuja on Sunday through its National Coordinator, Hon Ejike Iloh, the group affirmed that the purported agreement to zone the 2023 Enugu governorship seat to Enugu East does not exist.

It warned that what the leaders have done amounts to elite conspiracy to grab power and deny the people of Enugu state quality governance.

The group said: “We make bold to say that by verifiable records on the contests for the governorship of Enugu State since 1998/1999, there is nothing like zoning principle in the state. Power has gone round the three geopolitical zones, but not based on any predefined zoning principle, as Nnamani seeks to sell to unsuspecting Nigerians.

“Where was the purported zoning principle when himself (Nnamani) from Enugu East was sponsored by Senator Jim Nwobodo to snatch the gubernatorial ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Chief Nduka Agu from Enugu West, who was sponsored by another former governor, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo in the 1998, in an epic battle?

“Where was zoning when Nnamani contested against Chief Gbazuagu Nweke Gbazuagu of the All Peoples Party (APP), who hails from Enugu West in the main election in 1999?

“Where was zoning during the highly volatile 2003 governorship election that became a straight fight between Nnamani of Enugu East and Ambassador Fidel Ayogu of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), who hails from Enugu North?

“Where was zoning when even Nnamani’s deputy, Dr. Ezenwata Okechukwu Itanyi from Enugu North contested against Nnamani’s anointed successor, Sullivan Chime, from Enugu West, in the 2007 PDP governorship primary and only lost by a narrow margins?

“And above all, where was the so-called zoning in 2011 when Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani formed the Peoples Democratic Congress (PDC), fielded Dr. Dan Shere and waged a ferocious political warfare to dislodge the then incumbent governor Chime from Enugu West?”

 

YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents

In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state…BBNaija 2020 housemate.  BBNaija 2020 housemate

Selfies, video calls and Chinese documentaries: The things you’ll meet onboard Lagos-Ibadan train

The Lagos-Ibadan railway was inaugurated recently for a full paid operation by the Nigerian Railway Corporation after about a year of free test-run. Our reporter joined the train to and fro Lagos from Ibadan and tells his experience in this report…BBNaija 2020 housemate. BBNaija 2020 housemate