From Mba Nnenna Abakaliki.
The critical stakeholders of Ebonyi North Senatorial District under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP have charged the party stalwarts and leaders in Ebonyi State on the sustainability of the usual zoning formula among the three senatorial zones not to be distorted in 2023.
The Stakeholders cutting across the four local government areas in the zone including Abakaliki, Ebonyi, Izzi and Ohaukwu started this in their separate press releases made available to journalists after their different meetings in Abakaliki.
Speaking on behalf of the party stakeholders in Ebonyi LGA, their leader, Engr Simon Ngaji Nwodo, said they “wish to use this medium to charge the entire Ebonyi PDP family on the need to sustain political stability in Ebonyi State by ensuring that the usual zoning formula among the three Senatorial Zones is not distorted.”
The group appealed to all critical stakeholders of the party within Ebonyi North, especially Senator Sam Ominyi Egwu, the first Executive Governor of the state and a two-term member representing Ebonyi North people at the Red Chambers, to immediately call a wider stakeholders meeting, where they could work towards adopting the most credible among their many esteemed governorship aspirants.
The stakeholders said they “are convinced that a man like Dr Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh stands out among all the Guber aspirants and has all it takes to wrestle power from the APC come 2023.”
According to them, “Ezeh is not only competent but has the potential of gaining the widest acceptability not only in Ebonyi North but the whole of Ebonyi State.
“His abridged manifesto is eloquent testimony to the quality of his candidacy. He is fresh and untainted by past misdeeds and irreconcilable differences burdened by most of his competing aspirants. He represents a lease of hope, a technocrat and a man of solid ideas. We are happy to adopt him as our candidate to carry the flag of our great party PDP.”
Also, the Convener of the related group in Ohaukwu LGA, Chief Emmanuel Ede said: “We the Concerned Critical Stakeholders of all the communities in Ohaukwu LGA are happy to inform the general public, our brothers, sisters, friends and well-wishers that after a dispassionate review of the political situation in Ebonyi North Senatorial zone, we wish to clearly state that His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Sam Egwu remains our Political Leader. We, therefore, use this medium to pass a full vote of confidence in his Leadership and appreciate his fatherly role and dispositions.
“That we are uncomfortable with the unfortunate instability and uncertainty that has been intentionally created in Ebonyi PDP by those who are hell-bent on frustrating the zoning of governorship position to Ebonyi North zone as required by the constitution of our great party. We see this as a deliberate attempt to breed anarchy in the political equation of our dear Ebonyi State.
“That we are aware of those our brothers in Ebonyi North who are being used to further divide us and frustrate the political progress of Ebonyi North Zone, in apparent disdain for Ekumenyi dynasty.
“That we have reviewed the Character, Competence and Capacity of all our contestants in an attempt to separate real contestants from detractors. Being aware of the political happenings in our zone and appreciating the deep-seated challenges existing especially in the Izhi clan; created by selfish and desperate politicians; we also wish to state clearly that we know those who created and have kept watering these challenges. It is therefore our conviction that this set of persons who started the unfortunate division cannot provide solutions to it, as theirs have become the case of a poisoned chalice.
“That we have, after careful thoughts and critical considerations, concluded that amongst Ebonyi North candidates, albeit all eminently qualified, Dr Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh stands tall and is hereby adopted as our choice to fly the Governorship ticket under our great party PDP. His exposure, politics of ideas, and issues-based and progressive thoughts make him the candidate to beat as we go into the main elections. He is conspicuously fresh and untainted.
“That we hereby urge our leaders, and other contestants to jointly support Dr Ezeh’s candidacy to prevent avoidable crisis in our zone. He represents a bridge of hope. His candidacy promises new dawn. We call on PDP to do the honourable thing by zoning the governorship position to Ebonyi North Senatorial District/Zone. Ebonyi PDP must remember that it presently stands as a party in opposition and must go into this battle with our very best.
“We wish to reaffirm our confidence in the leadership of prominent stakeholders like HE, Distinguished Sen Dr Sam Ominyi Egwu, HE, Distinguished Sen. Pius Anyim, Chief Ali Odefa (NVC, SE), State Working Committee members, our National Assembly Members, State Assembly Members and believe that we are on a path to rescuing our state from APC. We further reaffirm that indeed Ebonyi is PDP and Ebonyi North Senatorial Zone is the home of PDP in our dear state.
“We hereby call on HE Distinguished Senator Dr Sam Egwu to immediately call expanded stakeholders meeting as our leader and support this well-thought-out choice. We are all his children and shall abide by his directives.”
Similarly, Hon. Sunday Eweh, the President of the Concerned Critical Stakeholders of Abakaliki LGA described their council area, Abakaliki as the family of the PDP, stressing “that as the home of the traditional Prime Minister of Izhi Clan, we understand that in times like this, we must speak in a firm but a loud voice that Zoning arrangements must be maintained in our state to avert impending implosion occasioned by few elements planted to destroy Ebonyi PDP from within.”
The group also pointed out that Senator Sam Egwu remains their Political Leader and expressed their support strongly his views on zoning while urging every stakeholder to support this voice of reason before it is too late.
The Abakaliki stakeholders added: “That we are uncomfortable with the unfortunate instability and uncertainty that has intentionally been created in Ebonyi PDP by those who are hell-bent on frustrating the zoning of governorship position to Ebonyi North zone as required by the constitution of our great party. We see this as a deliberate attempt to play politics of *”Nkari”* and will not allow such culture to become part of our party, to avoid possible anarchy in the future.
“That we are pained by the promotion of iphfu in our politics by desperate politicians who are ill-prepared for Leadership. They seek power only to dominate rather than build. This politics of division has reduced our clan to a laughing stock amongst our contemporaries. This must stop. We need a fresh and untainted hand. We need a man with a clean slate in the person of Dr Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh. We hereby adopt him as our candidate.
“We have also noticed with great pains and alarm, the usual characters who are perennial contestants but in reality working for outside interests. We know their game, but this time theirs shall end in shame.
“That we need a man of courage, character, competence and commitment with a clear vision of what Ebonyians need. Dr Ezeh’s manifesto as unveiled shows a man that is prepared for Leadership. We are honoured to call him our own. The era of half bakes and quota candidates is far gone. We must present our very best.
“We urge our elders, and other stakeholders to proudly walk this path of honour by joining us in adopting Dr Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh as our sole candidate from Ebonyi North Zone.”
Nevertheless, the Izzi Vanguard for Equity through its Spokesman, Comrade Fidelis Nwankpu expressed worry over Ebonyi PDP’s lingering hesitation to straighten the issue of zoning, especially as it concerns the governorship position.
They further expressed conviction that anything short of exclusive zoning of the governorship position to Ebonyi North Senatorial District would amount to injustice and a truncation of the smooth pattern of power rotation for which Ebonyi State has been known since the return of Democracy in 1999.
The Izzi stakeholders, therefore urged the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party to immediately do the needful, even as primary elections approach.
They added: “On our part, we consider qualified all the Ebonyi North sons and daughters who are contesting under the platform of PDP. However, we believe that having a man like Dr Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh fly the ticket will be the best for the Party.
“First, we consider him a breath of fresh air, especially calling to mind the serious mistrust existing among the regular politicians within our LGA.
“Second, he has proven himself to possess all the qualities that will give PDP a serious advantage over whoever APC may decide to field in the main election.
“We, therefore, call on all PDP critical stakeholders of Ebonyi North to immediately come together and harmonize interest to present a common front in the candidacy of Dr Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh while pushing for fairness, even as PDP Primaries draws nearer. Posterity will be fair to us all in this noble endeavour.”
