Like many Political pundits predicted, the Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe has rejected the multiple zoning of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s governorship ticket to Abia North and Central Senatorial Districts by the party.
Abaribe in a statement cited by our correspondent on Sunday, the senator representing Abia South urged all Abians who want an end to imposition to disregard the zoning arrangement of the PDP alleging that the zoning was meant to exclude him from the contest.
Quoting sections, of the constitution, Abaribe said nobody can exclude him from the contest stressing that it’s only Abians that will determine their next governor.
His statement reads:
My attention has been drawn to a document signed by the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Alwell Asiforo purporting the Abia State PDP has zoned the Governorship seat to Abia North and Abia Central and wish to assure all Abians who are desirous of an end to IMPOSITION in Abia State to disregard the purported zoning for the following reasons:
While any member of PDP has the right to support anybody for any elective position in Nigeria, it cannot be to the exclusion of any other member.
It is obvious that the statement was merely formulated to exclude me from the contest.
By virtue of section 42(2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, no person or body can exclude Senator ENYINNAYA ABARIBE (Nma Agha Ndigbo) from contesting and winning the 2023 elections in Abia State.
All PDP members and Abia citizens are therefore urged to remain calm and participate in the forthcoming congresses and primaries where your voice will be heard as we dismantle the CABAL that want to keep Abians subjected to further years of IMPOSITION.
It is only Abians that will decide who will be their Governor in 2023.”
In a swift response, Abia State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Barrister Eze Chikamnayo adviced the senator who’s completing 16 years in the Red Chamber by 2023 to follow the counsel of his people and contest for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come 2023.
Chikamnayo warned Abaribe against intimidating Abia State PDP as he has benefitted from zoning countless times.
The Commissioner reminded Abaribe that he was once an apostle of zoning when he championed the “Otu Onu movement”- the demand for Zoning of Governorship to his people.
“Now, that his folks have had their turn, he should respectfully give way for Areas that have not tasted the Governorship to take their turn. Crying foul and making unguarded statements based on self-interest is a clearly calculated attempt to destabilise the PDP in Abia State,” the Commissioner said.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Chikamnayo stated that “the party has spoken and it remains binding on all law-abiding members of the PDP in Abia State. Therefore, any personal attack either overtly or covertly on the Party and or the person of the Leader of the Party, His Excellency, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu is a wasteful exercise unexpected of a Senior Official of Senator Abaribe’s standing.”
He advised Senator Abaribe that rather than “embarrass himself by embarking on this fruitless adventure of confronting the masses of PDP in Abia State, it is expected that he would go back to his LGA and initiate consultations in order to help them realise their lofty objectives of supporting him, Senator Abaribe, for a high office such as the Presidency.”
The statement reads:
The recent unnecessary diatribe by His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Enyinnaya, who is currently representing the good people of Abia South in the Nigerian Senate against the Leadership of the People’s Democratic Party in Abia State, is a very unfortunate and totally unbecoming.
First, the party has spoken and it remains binding on all law-abiding members of the PDP in Abia State. Therefore, any personal attack either overtly or covertly on the Party and or the person of the Leader of the Party, His Excellency, Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu is a wasteful exercise unexpected of a Senior Official of Senator Abaribe’s standing.
The People’s Democratic Party, Abia State is a Democratic Institution whose decisions at all times must be based on the ideas, opinions and aggregate interests of members and stakeholders at all levels. In the instant case, Abia PDP decided to Zone it’s Governorship ticket to Abia Central and Abia North based on the feedbacks they got from the recently concluded tour of Local Governments in the entire State wherein Leaders, Stakeholders and the entire membership freely proclaimed their preferences and made submissions as it affects the 2023 Governorship ticket. They rightly observed that only Local Governments from Abia North and Abia Central indicated interest to fly the flag of the Party for the upcoming Guber Elections during the fact-finding tour.
Specifically, Senator Abaribe ‘s Obingwa Local Government asked the Party to support their bid to have Senator Abaribe to run for the Presidency of Nigeria. Thus, the Party simply acquiesced to this noble request and will definitely help Obingwa Local Government in this regard.
Instead of Senator Abaribe to embarrass himself by embarking on this fruitless adventure of confronting the masses of PDP in Abia State, it is expected that he would go back to his LGA and initiate consultations in order to help them realise their lofty objectives of supporting him, Senator Abaribe, for a high office such as the Presidency.
For one person who has been Deputy Governor, and four-time Senator it will naturally be a thing of joy for him to answer the clarion call of his people. It would be unthinkable to believe that any right-thinking Abia Patriot will find nothing wrong in locating the Guber ticket in the same LGA as the incumbent given the prevailing sensibility of the generality of Abians at this point in our history.
Nobody is against the desire of anybody to run for anything, however, Senator Abaribe’s disruptive ambition cannot be prosecuted at the expense of Equity, Fairness and stability of the PDP and the Abia Polity as a whole. Trying to blackmail, cajole, bully, threaten and or disrespect the Party in any manner would not only amount to a flagrant display of insensitivity but an invitation to unpleasant consequences. The personal obsession of an individual cannot override the common good of all Abians.
The party cannot be said to have imposed anyone because no individual was named in their Press Release rather aspirants interested from the identified Zones can now deepen consultations in line with laid down ethos and conventions.
Undeniably, zoning is an integral part of our party, the PDP and Senator Abaribe has benefitted from this formula countless times. He was the progenitor of the Otu Onu movement that demanded for Zoning of Governorship to his people. Now, that his folks have had their turn, he should respectfully give way for Areas that have not tasted the Governorship to take their turn. Crying foul and making unguarded statements based on self interest is a clearly calculated attempt to destabilise the PDP in Abia State.
Abians from all walks of life, particularly the peace loving PDP Leaders and Stakeholders are urged to call Senator Abaribe and his collaborators to order. There’s nothing personal about the current Zoning of the Gubernatorial Ticket of the Party. What we need now is not a self serving one man show but a collective pursuit that will ensure the victory of our Party at all levels in the upcoming polls.
The Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abia State, Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu is a very humane and considerate Leader who at all times have remained true to a good conscience in his approach to issues affecting individuals and groups in our polity. The concerns expressed by Abians which formed the basis for the adoption of the current zoning arrangement of the PDP is pertinent.
It is therefore curious that elders like Senator Abaribe who ought to applaud this ingenious political solution would resort to comments that are based on delusions of grandeur.
