The Ezza Ezekuna Youth Assembly (EEYA) has called for the abolition of the zoning arrangement for Ebonyi State’s governorship, insisting that competence, credibility and the will of the people—not bloc politics—should determine who succeeds Governor Francis Nwifuru in 2027.
The group made the declaration during a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) mega rally held at Isu Achara in Onicha Local Government Area over the weekend, where it unanimously endorsed the party’s 2023 governorship candidate, Chief Ifeanyichukwuma Odii, for the 2027 governorship election.
Addressing party faithful, youths and stakeholders drawn from across the state’s 13 local government areas, EEYA National President, Comrade Sunday Orogwu, described the state’s zoning arrangement, popularly referred to as the “Charter of Equity,” as a political formula that has outlived its usefulness.
According to him, the zoning principle has failed to promote fairness and instead “has raped our democracy and economy.”
“The purported rumpus zoning and Charter of Equity in Ebonyi State has done us more harm than good. It has raped our democracy and economy,” Orogwu declared.
He argued that Ebonyi, since its creation on October 1, 1996, has remained politically divided between the Abakaliki and Afikpo blocs, with the Abakaliki axis allegedly dominating the state’s political leadership.
Orogwu explained that the Abakaliki bloc, comprising Ebonyi North and Ebonyi Central Senatorial Districts with eight local government areas, has occupied the governorship for 19 years, while the Afikpo bloc, made up of Ebonyi South Senatorial District with five local government areas, has held the office for only eight years.
“Abakaliki bloc has held the governorship position for 19 years whereas Afikpo bloc has held the position for only eight years,” he said.
The EEYA president further alleged that the founding fathers of the state had reached an unwritten understanding that since the state capital was located in the Abakaliki axis, the first elected governor should emerge from the Afikpo bloc.
“But instead of the first Executive Governor to come from Afikpo bloc, Abakaliki, in vicious circle of political skullduggery in their cahoots conspired and hijacked it through military influence of Late Walter Aye Feghabor, the first military administrator,” he alleged.
Tracing Ebonyi’s political history, Orogwu noted that Dr. Sam Egwu and Chief Martin Elechi, both from the Abakaliki bloc, governed the state between 1999 and 2015 before Chief David Umahi from the Afikpo bloc took over from 2015 to 2023.
He also alleged that the Afikpo bloc was denied another opportunity in 2023 despite what he described as Chief Ifeanyichukwuma Odii’s electoral victory.
“The Abakaliki bloc again conspired against Afikpo bloc by robbing Chief Ifeanyi Odii, who contested under PDP and won free and fair because Ebonyi people gave him the mandate,” Orogwu claimed.
Declaring the Assembly’s support for Odii ahead of the 2027 election, he said the endorsement was made “in the spirit of no retreat, no surrender, backward never, forward ever.”
He urged members of the Ezza clan and other Ebonyi residents to rally behind the PDP chieftain.
“Behold and uphold Odii,” he said, describing the businessman as “their Messiah” capable of restoring justice, equity and development in the state.
Orogwu maintained that the time had come for Ebonyi to abandon ethnic and bloc-based politics in favour of leadership driven by merit and competence.
“The time has come for Ebonyi people to jettison zoning and allow competence and credibility to determine who becomes the next governor,” he said.
The rally attracted PDP leaders, supporters and stakeholders from across Ebonyi State, who reaffirmed their support for Odii’s governorship ambition ahead of the 2027 polls.
