The battle to produce Governor David Umahi’s successor in the two major political parties in Ebonyi State, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), is being dominated by the debate over power rotation or zoning. Both parties have not made up their minds about whether the position should be zoned to Ebonyi North or Ebonyi Central. OGOCHUKWU ANIOKE reports
Politics in Ebonyi State since the return to civil rule in 1999 has been governed by the so-called Ebonyi Charter of Equity, which defines the power rotation arrangement in the Southeast state. A lot of observers however say there is no such thing as a charter that defines how the various zones should share power. But, nevertheless, it is expected to shape the succession battle ahead of next year’s election.
In 1999, Sam Egwu from Ngbo/Izhia clan in Ebonyi North senatorial district took the governorship position. After him, Chief Martin Elechi from ?kw?in Ebonyi Central served two terms before handing over to incumbent Governor David Umahi from Ebonyi South.
With Governor Umahi set to complete his second term next year, it is expected that power rotation among the three zones will start afresh since the three zones have had their turns.
However, there is controversy over the zone that would produce the next governor. The situation is threatening to tear the state apart, especially the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), as major stakeholders have openly disagreed with each other over the issue. While the discussion is still raging, the two major political parties, the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have zoned the position to the Abakaliki bloc (Ebonyi North and Ebonyi Central).
The two parties, while zoning the position to the Abakaliki bloc noted that any of the zones in the bloc can produce the next governor, while the zone that may be denied the position in the next electoral cycle (2023) should wait for the next eight years to have its turn.
The parties’ stance heightened the tension ahead of next year’s general elections. Reacting to the agitation, former Governor Egwu said only strict adherence to the zoning arrangement will guarantee a peaceful election in the state come 2023. Egwu who is the senator Representing Ebonyi North zone made the disclosure in his country home, Umuebe, Ohaukwu Local Government Area.
He said during the end of his last tenure in 2007, almost everyone became interested in the position and based on the situation, he appealed that a procedure should be followed to enable each group to know the time for its turn.
He added: “It is on this arrangement that Chief Elechi emerged from Ebonyi Central zone. Thereafter, we advocated for Ebonyi South but some people kicked against it on the ground that people from the zone will suppress us. But, we insisted because we believe in equity and this is coupled with the fact that the coming together of some persons who were maltreated at Enugu and Anambra states and those who have a similar experience under Abia State is divine.”
He explained that it was based on the notion that they decided to accommodate one another and thereby vigorously campaigned for the southern zone through which Umahi became the governor till now.
Consequently, he declared: “Since the governorship position has gone round, power should go back from where it started in order to maintain the trend. Ebonyi North Zone has waited for 16 years and therefore the people are to produce the next governor. I have shared the same view before now and I was supported by Chief Elechi and I am sure that the present governor will also do the same because anything contrary will not be ideal for the state.”
Egwu warned that any deviation from the zoning arrangement will jeopardize the system and cause a situation where the Abakaliki bloc (North and Central) with their numerical strength will produce governors at will. He said: “Go and mark my word, anything contrary will result in a situation where the governorship will be between the North and the Central zones, which will not augur well.
“That is why I am appealing that the right thing should be done; justice, fairness and equity. Ebonyi North zone, let us support PDP because it is our party and by the grace of God, in 2023, an Izzi man will become the next governor of Ebonyi State.”
However, Egwu’s colleague and Senator representing Ebonyi Central and Chairman, Senate Committee on Youth and Sports, Obinna Ogba disagreed. He argued that there was nothing like a Charter of Equity in the governorship position of the state. He challenged Egwu and other proponents of the charter of equity to produce the document where such an arrangement was documented.
Ogba, who has already procured the PDP governorship form said: “Let me make it clear that there is nothing like Charter of Equity in Ebonyi State and I challenge anybody to produce the document on the charter so that we can know the signatories to it.
“Secondly, there was no time in 1999 the governorship was zoned to Ebonyi North. At that time, the three senatorial zones contested that election. From Ebonyi North, we had the late Polycarp Nwite, Fidelis Nwankwo, the late Andrew Nwankwo, Prof. Eke and Dr. Sam Egwu.
“From Ebonyi Central, the participants are the late Opoke Odu, Chief Martin Elechi, Chief Frank Ogbuewu and Chief Nwagu Onele, among others. Then from Ebonyi South, they include Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, the late Dr. Emmanuel OkoIsu, Chief Abara and Onu Odii. All these people I have mentioned are Ebonyians; they contested the 1999 election. In the PDP, Sam Egwu took first, while Dr. Emmanuel OkoIsu came second. In a round table discussion, we brought Isu, who took second to run as deputy governor.
“You will agree with me that there was nothing like equity that day. When Egwu was going, we were 17 that contested the primary. Those who contested from Ebonyi Central include Elechi, Enyi Ukpor, Opoke Odu and me. From Ebonyi North, Nwite and many others contested, while participants from Ebonyi South also took part. At the end of the day, Elechi won.
“When Elechi completed his tenure, Umahi was contesting, Chief Edward Nkwegu from Ebonyi North contested, and Senator Igwe Nwagu contested from Ebonyi Central. So, all the zones took part in the contest. In the end, David Umahi won.”
Anayo Edwin who represents Ezza North/Ishielu Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives also dismissed the zoning arrangement. The lawmaker who has declared interest to contest the next governorship election said there is nothing zoning or Charter of Equity. His words: “I believe in democracy and good governance. When you say zoning, when the power comes and it enters the hand of a terror, somebody who is not looking at the welfare of the state, somebody who is not interested to develop the state, is that zoning favourable?
Some stakeholders from Afikpo North in the Ebonyi South district have equally disagreed with the positions of Ebonyi North and Ebonyi Central zones. An Afikpo-based lawyer, Mudi Erhenede said power should go back to the Ebonyi North zone for the sake of equity. His words: “If we follow the zoning arrangement already in place, it should be the turn of Ebonyi North. If we don’t want to respect that arrangement, then we should go the traditional way of sharing. The problem with Nigeria today is that we have elevated zoning to a point where competence, qualification, ability to do the job is now secondary.”
A political analyst in the state, Dr. Livinus Ezeuwa, while reacting to the debate on the Charter of Equity, described democracy as a system in which the majority has their way, while the minority has their say. He said Senator Egwu may be afraid that the Izzi people, the largest clan under Ebonyi North zone where he represents in the Senate, may take the senatorial seat away from him in 2023.
He added that Egwu’s Ohaukwu Local Government Area, in Ebonyi North, has held more important political positions than the three other local governments of Abakaliki, Izzi and Ebonyi in Ebonyi North. His words: “Ebonyi North is one of the geopolitical zones in the state. It is one of the zones that have enjoyed privileges of leadership since the creation of Ebonyi State in 1996 and the return of democracy to Nigeria in 1999. Ebonyi State has 13 local government areas divided between two old divisions of Abakaliki and Afikpo, while Afikpo division has five local government areas, Abakaliki has eight.
Within the Abakaliki division are two major geopolitical zones: Ebonyi Central and Ebonyi North. Each shares an equal number of local government areas. “In Ebonyi North, the local government areas are Ebonyi, Izzi, Abakaliki and Ohaukwu. By population, Ohaukwu is the least and therefore, politically classified as a minority in the zone. That is the local government area where Egwu hails from.
“Now, examining equity in the political power balance in the zone is necessary to understanding the obsession for equity oozing from the zone and in particular from our respected former governor against 2023 Democracy is a game of numbers where the majority have their way and the minority have their say.
“Ordinarily, by the principle of democracy of number, Izzi people with three local government areas coverage in Ebonyi North can be said to be in a position that they can safely produce all candidates to all political positions since it’s believed that, they have the number to elect such representatives.
“But by equity principle and in the spirit of democracy of understanding and inclusiveness, Ohaukwu has produced a governor of Ebonyi State for eight years in the person of Dr. Egwu. Yet, the same Egwu, who has benefited so much from the politics of inclusion, now flies a divisive kite of a deceitful and non-existent charter of equity. No doubt, Egwu’s newfound love for so-called equity could be said to be nothing other than self-serving and self-preservation.
A socio-political group, Ebonyi First Movement (EFM) also dismissed the claim of a charter of equity. It argued that equity and power rotation arrangement in the state is non-existent in the state. The group said if Ebonyi people wanted a rotation order, a political summit should be convoked to arrive at it.
A communique signed by its Director-General, Everestus Ekuma, said the current debate on zoning, equity and rotation order constitutes an unnecessary distraction. He said it is an attempt to ambush the Ebonyi electorate and capture the 2023 governorship election process.
Another group, Odinma Ebonyi Foundation (ODEF) disagreed with the equity and zoning claims. The group in a statement by Collins Azu said competence and credibility should be the basis for the selection of governorship candidates by the political parties. The group said this is the only way the best candidates can emerge who will take the state on the path of progress and development.
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