Abia PDP governorship aspirant faults Ikpeazu’s zoning claims

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship aspirant in Abia State for the 2023 general election, Mr. Ndubuisi Etugo Ogah, has faulted Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s claim that the emergence of Prof. Uche Ikonne from Isiala Ngwa North Local Council in Abia Central Senatorial zone as the candidate of the party was in line with the Abia Charter of Equity.

The governor had during a recent meeting with leaders of the local council held at the Governor’s Lodge, Aba, defended the choice of Ikonne as the candidate of the party, arguing that the emergence of a governor from the other half of Abia Central (Isiala Ngwa) was in accordance with the spirit of the Abia Charter of Equity.

He recalled that the Abia Charter of Equity was entered into in 1981 between the old Umuahia and Aba Senatorial zones with the recognition of Isuikwuato as a District.

Reacting to the claims in statement yesterday, Ogah, who has dragged Ikpeazu and PDP to court over the issue of zoning, said the governor’s explanation amounted to reducing the issue to clannish politics, noting that it was not the acceptable way to go.

According to him, it was the turn of Abia North Senatorial zone to produce the next Abia governor because the Charter of Equity had been by senatorial zone not by clans.

He insisted that the Abia Charter of Equity should go by Senatorial zones as obtainable in other states across the Southeast zone since the return of democracy in 1999.

Ogah cited the case of Awgu people in Enugu State, noting that several attempts by Awgu clan led by Senator Ike Ekweremadu to lay claim to the governorship seat on the basis of zoning were resisted by the people of other senatorial zones because Awgu is under Enugu West Senatorial zone, which had taken its turn through Sullivan Chime from Udi clan.

The PDP aspirant recalled that Abia State was created from Afikpo, Bende, Isikwutao and Aba, which were divided into three Senatorial zones except Afikpo that is now part of Ebonyi State.

He noted that the Charter of Equity is for the three Senatorial zones of Abia North, Abia Central and Abia South to follow as in other states.

He added: “The picture of zoning is very clear that it started from Abia North in 1999 through Orji Uzor Kalu who finished and handed over to Theodore Orji of Abia Central.

“Orji finished and handed over to Ikpeazu of Abia South. So, it has to go back to the North after Ikpeazu. In 2015, I refused to support my brother Samson Ogah and others from Abia North for governor and supported Ikpeazu from South so that South should take it and let it come back to the North. I wonder why Ikpeazu decided to truncate a smooth run of things.”