Magnus Eze, Enugu
A pan-Igbo youth organisation, Anambra Ekunie, yesterday, has on Anambra State people to decide their leader ahead of next year’s governorship election.
The group warned those promoting discord and social fragmentation in the state, using the zoning of the governorship as cover, to desist from further seeking to balkanise the state as the idea of zoning ended with the election of Governor Willie Obiano.
It also said the insistence by Anambra South that Governor Obiano’s successor must come from the area, was an unacceptable act of provocation aimed at intimidating other zones to submission.
The group said Anambra remains one and cannot be balkanised by political merchants who see zoning as an avenue to impose someone who will be subservient to them as governor over the state.
President of the organisation, Ifeanyi Achusi, in a statement, said every zone of the state was qualified to contest the governorship as power had effectively rotated among the three zones since 1999.
He said none of the senatorial zones can honestly say it has not taken a chance at governing Anambra State since 1999.
Achusi said Anambra South lacked the moral credibility to insist it must produce Obiano’s successor since politicians from the zone have contested in every governorship election since 1999.
He further said Anambra South lacked the moral credibility to insist it must produce Obiano’s successor since politicians from the zone have contested in every governorship election in the state since 1999.
“We are disturbed by the outcome of a recent meeting of Anambra South political and traditional leaders where they insisted that the zone must produce the next governor in 2021. It seems to us that some politicians are beginning to use the traditional institution to drive a political agenda that could balkanise the state.
“Our cause for worry is that the zone is beginning to act like it can intimidate other zones into submission and silence. That cannot happen.
Anambra State belongs to all of us and the governorship of the state is open to every Anambra son and daughter who wants to contest.
“We cannot surrender the state to the whims of Anambra South traditional rulers and politicians, including the state chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
“That is not possible. Ohanaeze Ndigbo has no say on which zone produces the governor of any state in the South East. It must not interfere in the internal political issues of any state,” he said.