Zoning of governorship seat and other political positions in Enugu state has become somewhat politicized and has woken a larger than life political consciousness in the people even while the next general elections is two years from hence. While it is not uncommon to up the flurry of political activities preparatory to general elections by engaging in horse trading, political realignment and the likes, it is important also to caution the political class to have the overall interest of Ndi Enugu rather than personal or clanish interests in determining who replaces our peace loving governor when he vacates the Lion building in 2023. While it could be argued that providence rather than an entrenched political zoning formula has largely determined who occupies the Lion building since the return of the 4th republic, it could not be argued by any stretch of logic that even providence itself understand our pains and had worked for the political harmony which Ndi Enugu has enjoyed all these years.
It is often said that heaven helps those who helps themselves, therefore if providence has been kind to us, it only behooves on the political class and all peace lovers which Ugwuanyi represents also to toe this part of providence and entrench in its entirety a formula and a scheme that has not only ensured the peace and political harmony of our dear state but has espoused love, fairness and equity to dispense political offices to all the component zones, cultural spaces and clans. The political class should use the opportunity which the next general elections stands to offer to close ranks and work in concert with the Gburu-Gburu himself (an embodiment of equity) to dispense equity and fairness by way of selecting or anointing the next governor of the state from the zone naturally favored to produce the individual who will continue with the good legacies of our amiable governor, Rt. Honorable Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
The zoning formula which we might have attributed to the effects of providence has been discovered to be the only panacea that will not only ensure fair play and peace of mind among the citizens and the political class but justice and equity. Stretched further, when a political office is deemed to have been zoned to a particular zone, the humongous resources expended in electioneering campaigns by politicians from other zones is eliminated. Besides the favored zone will throw up their best of the best candidates to seek elective positions. It will be somewhat a pay back time for politicians who have been good sons or daughters in their zone or community. They will surely understand their rating among their people in particular and the state in general when they get the opportunity to stand for elections.
Interestingly as the 2023 general elections approaches steadily, the preachments on zoning is gaining traction and winning more apostles and proponents. Only recently, the statement regarding zoning and credited to the state Assembly law maker representing Eziagu state constituency, Hon. Chima Obieze resonated and reverberated across political divides in the state. Hon. Obieze it would be recalled is a great foot soldier of a serving Senator from Enugu West, the same political zone with Hon. Obieze. Such statements coming from him unsettled not quite a few in the camp of the serving senator who have not hidden his vaulting desire to replace Ugwuanyi even though his Enugu West zone is not in the cards for now to provide a suitable replacor for the out going governor of the state. Honorable Chima Obieze (a lawyer by profession) was quoted as saying that he would support Gov. Ugwuanyi’s discretion to choose his successor from the Enugu East senatorial zone which is a zone favored to restart the “providence” act after all the zones have had their turns at the Lion building.
As the statement credited to Hon. Obieze was yet to die down, another epic political drama played out last week as the opposition political party in the state, the All Peoples Congress(APC) announced that it will be zoning the next governorship candidate to the Enugu East zone particularly Isi Uzo constituency. It was a move considered by political pundits to toepedo the ruling party to do same. The pundits have also claimed that the opposition party took such hasty move when it is remembered that only last week, the acting Chairman of APC in the state, Dr. Ben Nwoye discountenanced any zoning formula and concluded that his party was not going to join in the fray as 2023 is still far away. However, what the political analysts are seem to be saying is that such early announcement have done an incalculable damage to the ambition of a serving senator from the West who might have concluded arrangements to join APC and ditch his party, PDP in the event that it does not throw the contest open to all contestants irrespective of zone in the forth coming elections.
As 2023 steadily approaches, it is hoped that more proponents in favor of zoning (to continue with the providential act) will emerge.
It is hoped that Enugu East senatorial zone shall carry the day after all the political horse trading.
Let us come together and support zoning and also support Governor Ugwuanyi to annoint a candidate from Enugu East senatorial zone. So shall it be well with Ndi Enugu.
Truly Enugu state is in the hands of God
BIBIAN ANEKWE NEWS… ENUGU STATE STAND WITH THE CHOICE OF GOV. IFEANYI UGWUANYI COME 2023.
Written by
HON CALISTUS ONYEKACHUKWU ONYIA
A Political Analyst
MEDIA TEAM MEMBER OF ENUGU DI N’AKACHUKWU MOVEMEN
