The Former Chairman of Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Chief Chaka Nweze has admonished the Peoples Democraric Party (PDP) Gubernatorial Candidate in Ebonyi State, Dr Ifeanyi Odii to rescind his decision of running for the position in the 2027 general elections.
The Current Chairman of the Ebonyi State Scholarship Board made the admonision in an interview in Abakaliki, noting that the peace and overall interest of Ebonyi State supercedes all personal interests.
The Former Vice Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) Ebonyi State Chapter, said there was an avid need to respect the power rotation arrangement existing in the state.
“This arrangement was initiated by the Dr Sam Egwu’s administration and consolidated by the Engr. David Umahi’s administration
“This arrangement has ensured peace, political tolerance, overall upward trajectory of the state and therefore, will be wise if upheld,”.
Nweze being more specific, admonished Odii that the current zoning arrangement was even more beneficial to the Ebonyi south Senatorial district where both of them hail from.
“This is because the Ekumenyi bloc consisting of the North and Central senatorial districts are greater in population than the Afikpo bloc where the southern senatorial district is found.
“The Ekumenyi bloc is more of a monolithic entity than the Afikpo bloc which is more diverse and heterogeneous by origin.
“It smacks the greatest level of unfairness that the senatorial district which produced the state governor in the immediate last dispensation will be eyeing the slot now,.”
He further buttressed that if the present zoning arrangement is altered not to talk of being short circuited, it will be very difficult for future gevertaion of Ebony south district to win governorship election in the state.
“When such arrangement is altered, the people responsible for altering it would lose their rights of bargain even when the electoral pendulum should ordinarily swing to its side.
“The nation’s electoral system is evolving towards reforms which guarantees that votes must count.
“This will ultimately offer advantage to any bloc with the highest population. making them the determinant of electoral fates,”
Nweze noted that Governor Francis Nwifuru has performed creditably in his first tenure and therefore should be allowed in the spirit of equity, to complete his second tenure.
“The three past governors of the state led for eight years and all had remarkable imprints on the lives of the people and existence of the state.
“Dr Sam Egwu is reverred for his imprints in the education sector, Chief Martin Elechi adored for intensive rural development and Engr. David Umahi for his monumental infrastructural turnaround of the state.
“Nwifuru has stood out in educational revolution and human empowerment, therefore should be allowed to follow the full–tenure completion trend,”
He counselled Odii to untimately put the state’s overall interest over personal bias and be assured that time will definitely fly to his convenience.
“When Nwufuru completes four years, the central district will take its turn and before eyes are closed and opened, it will be the southern district’s turn.
“Odii is still a very young man who would still be physically strong and mentally alert to vie for the No.1 position in the state.
“He should be assured that those whom he listened to their wise counsel now would be available to back him then,”.
