By Zika Bobby
All seems unwell with the Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the zoning arrangement for the governorship position is believed to have torn the party apart ahead of its primary.
Governorship aspirant, Ndubisi Ogah, said the zoning issue has divided the party as thousands of faithful are deserting following plots to deny Abia North the chance to produce the governor.
Ogah said in 2015 some politicians from Abia North senatorial district who wanted to run for the governorship seat were asked to wait and allow Abia South to produce the governor of the state to balance the zoning equation given that Orji Uzor Kalu from the North and Theodore Orji from Central had been governors respectively.
“They were assured that the seat will return to the North after the expiration of the tenure that the South will serve. That was how Abia Charter of Equity came on board. Now that the South has taken it for eight years, we don’t have to argue with anybody that it has to return to the North,” he said.
The PDP governorship hopeful from Uturu in Isikwato Local Government Area lamented that Abia PDP is facing mass exodus ahead of the primary even as he expressed the fear of PDP losing Abia if they refuse to allow the people of the North senatorial district to produce the next governor.
He said Gregory Ibe and many others have defected from PDP to the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in protest against the zoning arrangement in the state.
He, however, said he won’t leave PDP as he has bought the governorship expression of interest and nomination forms and had decided to remain in the party and fight for the right of his senatorial district.
“I am aspiring to be governor of Abia State under PDP because I have contributed enough to the progress of the party at the grassroots and so it is time for the party to pay back. I won’t be aspiring for governor if I don’t have a good record. I won’t be aspiring to be governor if I don’t have the popularity and acceptability within my party and beyond and I won’t be aspiring if I have not contributed to the welfare of the good people of Abia State,” he said.