Ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party’s primary election scheduled for May, some concerned stakeholders of the party in Ebonyi State, on Wednesday, called on its leadership to zone the 2023 governorship seat to Ebonyi North senatorial district or throw it open to all the zones to contest for the position.
Disclosing this in a statement signed by Chief Abia Onyike; Ogbonnaya Oko Enyim; Samuel Okporie; Jerry Obasi; Dr Nnanna Onuoha, among others, the PDP stakeholders said they “will support an approach that will carry all the senatorial zones along on the path of equity, justice and fairness.”
“It has become quite pertinent to resolve the logjam by providing a compass to guide the current transition programme, so as to handle the primary elections in such a way that the party would remain united, disciplined and solid to attain victory in the 2023 general elections,” they said.
The statement read in part, “We, the undersigned Members and Stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), in Ebonyi in Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone of Ebonyi State, have for some time been concerned about the political permutations for 2023, especially regarding the zoning of the gubernatorial seat for the 2023 elections.
“We are quite aware that. based on past precedents, the three Senatorial districts have always constituted the basis for the zoning of the Governorship ticket in the State. At no time have we in the PDP considered zoning on the basis of Abakaliki and Afikpo blocks. From 1999 to date, the position of Governor rotated from the North to Central and lastly to the South Senatorial Districts.
“However, we have noted that the idea or concept of zoning the gubernatorial ticket was being surreptitiously anchored on the unusual, strange and alien concepts of zoning between Abakaliki and Afikpo blocks, whereupon it is being peddled that the 2023 Governorship ticket in Ebonyi state had been zoned to Abakaliki block, made up of Ebonyi North and Ebonyi Central Senatorial zones.
“Since these assumptions were peddled, a seeming political logjam has enveloped the state. Elements from Ebonyi North Zone have claimed that it is their turn to produce the Governor come 2023. In the same vein, elements from Ebonyi Central have come out to lay claim to the seat come 2023, arguing that it is their rightful place to produce the next Governor.
“Having considered these issues and challenges, we make bold to say that we will support an approach that will carry all the Senatorial zones along on the path of Equity, Justice and Fairness. It is therefore, our considered opinion and we hereby urge our revered party leaders to consider the following.
“To zone the Governorship seat to Ebonyi North, where the zoning started in 1999, Or, to throw the process open to all the Senatorial districts in the state, since all the zones have tested the position from 1999 to date.
“We make this suggestion as loyal, patriotic and concerned Members/Stakeholders of our great party and would wish that our suggestions are given utmost and express attention.”
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