While the politicians and stakeholders in the state argue over if the governorship position will be zoned or not, the people of Enugu also have alot to say about the issue too. reiterates

In a statement released by Ogbuefi Arthur Okolie, he first recalled a statement made by Chief Anayo Onwegbu (Omeiheukwu) ,in an interview he granted Vanguard Newspaper on 5th Nov 2014 where he stated plainly that “We have not had zoning in Enugu State. There had never been any zoning. It is on record that in 1979, in the old Anambra State, the key elements that were contesting for governorship – Chief Jim Nwobodo, late C.C. Onoh, Dr. Alex Ekwueme and Chief Austin Ezenwa; these were the principal characters that contested the election. It was not on the basis of any zoning arrangement.

“In 1999, the contest was between Chief Gbazueagu Nweke Gbazueagu, Chimaroke Nnamani and Nduka Agu. Three of them contested vigorously for the ticket of PDP and finally Chimaroke won. In 2003, it was keenly contested by over 12 people, including my humble self.

“From Nkanu then was Chimaroke; from the Greater Awgu was myself, Chief Alex Obiechina and two others. There was no zoning. Then 2007 again, the scenario repeated itself. In 2010/11, it was the same issue”.

“On Enugu North’s agitation to produce the next governor, being the only zone yet to occupy the office since 1999 (at the time), Onwuegbu responded: “The concept is hinged on the fact that some time ago, it was strongly rumoured that the deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu was interested in becoming the governor of the state (in 2015) and his no-love-lost relationship with the sitting governor (Chime) is a well known fact.

“To put a stop to that ambition, the governor started announcing that he had zoned the ticket of the party to Nsukka zone. It is a deliberate effort to steer up a sectional consciousness to be used against an envisaged enemy. I stand to be corrected. Let him (Chime) tell us any gathering in Enugu State that says we are going to start zoning. He was not a beneficiary of any zoning arrangement either; he was handpicked by former Governor Chimaroke”.

Voicing his disapproval over the recent turn of events, he said “Surprisingly, the same Chief Anayo Onwuegbu yesterday Sat. 19/3/22 Convened a meeting of some Elected political office holders and appointees of Govt from Greater Awgu and declared that there is zonning in Enugu State.

“What has changed or informed a respected Personality like Chief Onwuegbu to be speaking from both sides of his mouth without withdrawing his earlier position on zonning is unfortunate.

“In their few lines statement, they had said zonning exists without giving clear stand on how zonning had existed not only in Governorship position but in some elective positions occupied by some of the participants of the press conference. None was bold to declare that he or she was a product of zonning.

“In some of my previous contributions on the zonning discussion,I had said that this zonning matter will make some respected individuals loose their integrity and some others loose or surrender their positions willingly due to zonning as none is a product of zonning they propagate now.

“Interrogating the recently released documents on zonning done by PDP state caccus in 2013 which gave these set of appointees and elected office holders the basis for the so called press conference, one can easily ask when did the view of few caccus members of a particular Political party represents the wishes of the entire Enugu state people?

“Nobody has asked why the document they called zonning agreement could not specify the order of the zonning of the Governorship and other elective positions, since it is meant to foster peace and save the minority like Ndi Greater Awgu as they have branded us.

“Nobody has asked why the so called zonning agreement being celebrated could not be respected in the past by the same party that drafted it as other zones had consistently contested against the other in the past.

‘”Nobody in the hall could ask why zoning didn’t start in 1999 as people had been made to believe but in 2015 with Ugwuanyi going by the 2013 agreement? Nobody asked if the caucus of the party can make law for the party and state?

“The funny thing in the whole press briefing was that the document being paraded mentioned that after due consultations?? The reality is that none of the people that participated in the unfortunate press conference did consult the people they represent.

“They spoke on their own and knew they can never boldly confront those they represent and mention those positions they penned down. Unfortunately for them the people are taking records and will react appropriately at the right time.

“Few individuals cannot claim to be speaking the opinion of the entire Greater Awgu people. No amount of press conference will save anybody in this regard. One would have expected them to raise the issue of VC of Esuth that is supposed to come to Greater Awgu but was denied.

“The press conference should have been used to ask questions on the state of the affairs of University of Education at Ihe, the only higher institution in the entire Greater Awgu. It would have been a very good platform to raise the issue of the deteriorating state of secondary healthcare in Greater Awgu.

“I wonder too why they could not use the press conference to raise the issue of growing security concerns in Greater Awgu areas. They would have used the platform to remind Govt that nobody from Greater Awgu is holding any key appointment in the state except the SSAs, SAs, TAs etc without any allocated portfolios.

“There are many things they would have raised using the opportunity as representatives of the people if they had consulted the people they represent before the press briefing. The truth is that the more the press conference the more the awareness. The majority of the people are aware of the situation and have made up their minds on the issue under discussion.

“Surely,the day of reckoning will come very soon and the majority of the people of Greater Awgu will speak loud and clear through their own press conference. All these rallies, communiques, solidarity visits, and the latest one ,press conference are not necessary but rather a mere wastage of funds that would have been used in some other pressing problems of Greater Awgu.

“But since it is aimed at stopping Sen.( Dr) Ike Ekweremadu an illustrious son of Greater Awgu, Enugu state and Nigeria they are satisfied and happy with it. When one looked at the high table you could see men and women Sen.Ike Ekweremadu have imparted in their lifes , their friends, relations and Communities in one way or the other.

“In the past none of the former Governors, Chimaroke Nnamani and Sullivan Chime had subjected the people of other Zones to reject their own sons because they were contesting Governorship Election then. But because of the naivety of some of our people, they accept any proposal thrown at them.

“I salute those elected Representives and appointees that stayed away from the sham press conference aimed at ridiculing the image of Great sons and daughters of Greater Awgu. History will record it too. This is an interesting times and this too shall pass.

“A pathway to a new Enugu state is possible with Sen. Ike Ekweremadu”, Ogbuefi concluded.