Ahead of the 2014 governorship election in Anambra State, NDUBUISI ORJI writes on the clamour by the people of Anambra North for the governorship to be zoned to them.
The next governorship election in Anambra State may still be far away. However, it is on the front burner. So far, no fewer than twenty persons across the three senatorial zones are known to be warming up to contest the gubernatorial poll.
Besides, the three senatorial districts in the state seem to have drawn a battle line over which of the zones produces the next governor. While the people of Anambra North would prefer the contest to be solely an Anambra North affair, to brighten their chances of producing the next governor of the state, their brothers from the other zones think otherwise.
The clamour for power shift
The Anambra North Senatorial District has not failed to tell anyone, who cares to listen that for the sake of equity, the next governor of the state must come from the area. Anambra North comprises of seven local government areas of the state. they include: Anambra East, Anambra West, Ayamelum, Oyi, Onitsha North, Ontisha South and Ogbaru LGAs.
Recently, many groups have been springing up from the areas to push the agitation. One of such groups , “Olu Na Adagbe Peoples Assembly” says it is out to galvanize the people of the area for the 2014 battle and mobilize support for the zone’s quest to produce the next governor of the state.
The group’s co-ordinator, Sherack Anakwue pointedly said their mission among other things is to produce the next governor of the state from the zone in 2014.
The thrust of their agitation is that nobody from the area has governed the state since its creation in 1991. According to him, “it is on record that since the creation of Anambra State, only the Anambra North Senatorial Zone is yet to be given the chance to produce the governor. Our movement is therefore a call on well meaning Anambrarians to give their support to fairness and equity.”
A former senator from the zone, and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deputy governorship candidate in the 2010 governorship election in the state, Senator Emma Anosike says the people of the zone have continually been marginalized since the creation of the state 21 years ago.
The former senator opines that though the zone had always decided the outcome of past governorship contests in the state, it has never had the opportunity of producing a governor for the state. For him, 2014 should be payback time for the people of the zone. In a recent interview with a national daily, Anosike said it would not be out of place for their brothers and sisters in the South and central senatorial zones to support the north to produce a governor for the state in the next election.
“If you trace the history of politics in Anambra, you would discover that Anambra North has continued to be marginalised, and this is not fair at all. The zone has always been the decider in every governorship election. We produce bloc vote and this has led to the emergence of all the governors, both past and present. So, this is payback time. They should support us, so that we produce the next governor. This is not asking for too much from our brothers.”
Truly, nobody from Anambra North has governed the state since its creation in 1991. The first civilian governor of the state, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife is from the South senatorial zone. The next after him, Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju is also from south, while Senator Chris Ngige and the incumbent governor, Mr Peter Obi are from the central.
Cumulatively, the South has governed the state for six years, while at the completion of the second term of the state governor, the central would have governed for eleven years. Consequently not a few believes that for equity, justice and fairness, Anambra North should be allowed to produce the next governor of the state.
However, a lawyer and former governorship aspirant in the state, Mr Emeka Etiaba said the recent clamour by the people of the North that the governorship should be zoned exclusively to it would not work. He described the clamour as a mere academic exercise that would not yield much fruit.
“Where has it worked, that a given people will begin to say we have not held power, it is our turn? You don’t queue up to chase power, you go for power , you take it. Nobody will wish it unto me. The people who are sitting in the comfort of their sitting room and saying that power shout shift to the north, that is a very good academic discourse, but i can assure you that it will not amount to anything.
Etiaba said there no arrangement in Anambra politics that stipulates that the governorship of the state should rotate among the three senatorial zones. He said if the people of Anambra North wants to govern the state , then they would have to “bring out their best eleven, if their best eleven is able to make it, they will produce the governor.”
A PDP chieftain in the state and governorship hopeful, Chief Obinna Uzoh agrees with Etiaba. He told Daily Sun “We have not sat down as stakeholders to say we are now going to start zoning. So, until we sit together as Anambra people and make referendum or as stakeholders and say we are zoning and this time, it is the turn of these people, we could begin to look at it”.
Uzoh says the kind of governor, the people of the state need in 2014 is somebody with good antecedent s and proven record of service. “the Anambra North, I wish them good luck I hope they will get somebody with very good antecedents, somebody whom the whole Anambra people will say he has done A B C D and he is suitably qualified to lead Anambra state. But if there is somebody else from outside of Anambra North, I want to believe majority of the masses will rather prefer the person to the one from the zone.”
But the leader of Igboadagbe Forum, one of the groups championing the Anambra North governorship project, Chief Chika Odiri said the clamour for power shift is not new in the state. According to him,even the emergence of Senator Ngige as governor in 2003 was a product of the clamour for power shift.
He says “Senator Chris Ngige was the first beneficiary of agitations against the predominance of persons from one senatorial zone as Governors of Anambra State. If you remember what happened between 2001 and 2002 when “Central Focus” was formed, it was because the central senatorial zone cried out that it was their turn to produce the Governor in 2003. They insisted that since only the south senatorial zone had continued to produce Governors in the past, the central senatorial zone should be given a chance. The campaign and agitations became so penetrating that the south senatorial zone which was apparently richer and more connected yielded.”
Odiri believes that consensus is still alive. Besides, he argues that even the Nigerian constitution provides for zoning in a way. “Zoning or power rotation is a strategy for achieving federal character. Zoning is federal character per excellence because the essence is to ensure that there shall be no predominance of persons from any sectional group in government or any of its agencies whether at the federal, state or local government level.”
The odds
As germane as the case of Anambra north is, there are a lot of obstacles it must have to surmount to achieve its desire. Part of these is the army of governorship aspirants from the two other senatorial zones. Presently, several politicians from both South and Central senatorial zones with enormous wealth and political clout are known to be interested in succeeding the incumbent governor.
In the category are the likes of Senators Chris Ngige and Andy Uba. Both men who had brief stints as governors of the state has not hidden their interest in the governorship seat. After losing in the 2010 governorship poll in the state they feel 2014 is their date with fate. There is the likes of Uzoh and Nicholas Ukachukwu, former governorship candidates in the state who are seriously eyeing the plum seat. While Ngige is from central, Uba, Uzoh and Ukachukwu are from the South. There are still many other politicians from the zones who are still keeping their ambition under wraps. Asking any of these men to suspend their ambition for a governorship candidate from Anambra North will be akin to squeezing water from a rock.
However, what Anambra North has going for it in the 2014 battle is the support of Governor Obi. The governor and the APGA national leadership had reportedly promised to support the emergence of the next governor from the zone. In keeping to that promise, the governor is believed to be propping up a candidate for Anambra North.
But then, there is the issue of the political platform Anambra North will use to actualize its dream of producing s governor for the state. Presently, there are three major political parties in the state-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) controlled by politicians from South and Central. It is not likely that they will yield the ticket to the North. And it is doubtful if the North would want to use any of the less viable political parties.
The seemingly surest way for the North to produce the governor is for all the major political parties to nominate their 2014 governorship candidates from the zone. But it is doubtful if politicians from the other zones will agree to that.
Etiaba who hails from the South senatorial zone tells Daily Sun that “It is undemocratic for all the democratic parties to say the north will produce the candidate, but if they have the influence and clout to attract such patronage, who am I to quarrel, but I don’t think it is fine”.
“If it pleases God that the next governor of Anambra state will be from the north and he anoints the person, good. We don’t have a choice. But the academic exercise going on that power has to shift to the north, it cannot be justified, it is not doable. It has never been done,” he posits.
There is no doubt that in the days ahead, all the gladiators would be doing all they can to advance their case. But how far can Anambra North really go in its quest to produce a gov ernor in 2014?
Dr Ngige was a product of OBJ and Chris Uba alliance on replacing Mbadinuju on PDP ticket. Anambra should be clamouring for a capable governor irrespective of zone or town. Gov Obi is entitled to his desire and opinion backed with one vote. The jockeying and posturing at present, make the theater interesting. In a couple of months, the main gladiators will emerge making mockery of this zoning no-brainer.
Senator Obiagulu Emma Anosike will be good
Anambra state is not a backward state and therefore need no zoning formular on who will govern it. It has always been survival of the fittest in the state so let nobody deceives himself about it. Aspirants and contestants should go and WORK HARD and win the support of the electorate. there no two ways to it. This is the street truth in Anambra State
Anambra state is not a backward state and therefore need no zoning formular on who will govern it. It has always been survival of the fittest in the state so let nobody deceive himself about it. Aspirants and contestants should go and WORK HARD and win the support of the electorate. there no two ways to it. This is the street truth in Anambra State
Peter obi should not deceive Anambra north people, d only way they ll achieve ds is to work hard n bring d best candidate. Bt if fail 2 do so then am afraid dat sumbody lyk barister OBINNA UZO & Dr chris ngige will still b peoples candidate come 2014.
From my research the next governor of Anambra State will come from Anambra North. Surprisingly not from PDP, APGA or ACN as speculated but from a new party – United Progressives Party (UPP). I advise the good people of Anambra North to join this new party to achieve their objective. Comrade Obd Eneanya.
Let the act credibility rule.ANAMBRA is a great state in all ramification of life therefore let the north bring out cridible person and work with him not zoning.
Anambra north must produce governor come 2014 .we have people like senator OBI ANOSIKE Surport north as we surport south and central
Anambra north will surely produce the next governor of the state and their is nothing anyone will do about it and the most interesting thing about it is the platform. It is definitely APGA and no other party
Anambra north or south,for me is all baldadash.i only pray for a God fearing Person to emerge as Gorv.
The likes of Andy Uba and co .are desperedos he has nothing to offer Anambrarians.
YOU SEE HOW THE COOCKIES CRUMBLE,THE SAME APOSTLES OF ROTATIONAL PRESIDENCY CANNOT PRACTICE WHAT THEY PREACH EVEN IN THEIR OWN STATE.I WANT THE BEST HAND AND ORGANISED PERSON TO TAKE OVER FROM PETER OBI,WE DO NOT NEED ALL THESETROUBLE MAKERS TO TAKE US BACK TO GOLGOTHA.
PLEASE ANAMBRA PEOPLE NEEDS TO MOVE ON FROM PROFESSIONAL POLITICIANS TO TECHNOCRATS LIKE PROF SOLUDO,DR OBY EZEKWESILI OR MR OLISA AGBAKOBA SAN.NGIGE AND UBA SHOULD PLEASE STAY IN THE SENATE AND CONTRIBUTE TOO BUT THEY SHOULD NOT COME BACK TO HEAT UP ANAMBRA STATE AGAIN.THEY WERE PART OF THE PROBLEMS THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS THEY CREATED.
I WANT OLISA AGBAKOBA FROM THE NORTH AND OBY EZEKWESILI OR PROF SOLUDO AND UBANESE FROM THE NORTH ZONE.
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We ar in suport of peter obi.
Power will not be given to anyone nor bring to your table,but if Anambra north were ready to produce a governor,fine but i cannot make Anosike as my first choice,we have many people,in the state Anosike has represent me before and he did nothing,so let us look for better people not must it will come from Anambra east local govt,what we know is Anambra north…. 07066618195
Please my fellow Anambrians lets give anambra north the chance to produce the governor,they have intellectuals that can deliver. I believe Dr ALEX OBIOGBOLU is good for the job.thanks
Zoning or no-zoning, we need a God fearing, Hardworking and a capable person to Govern the state. Not criminals who call themselves politicians in Anambra state. God will see us through,
Through Mary our mother, we have succided !!.
Obi should go and seat down,u never do any work 4 Anambra u just dey talk about next election. Are u sure u will reach that election period
may d lord save us frm dis survival of d fittest politics in anambra state buh on a mor serious note its said dat constitutionally zoning is nt instituted so let d efficient nd capable governorship aspirant work his/her way out inrespective of d zone. Frm N.charles
@Uzor, pls stop dreaming. dose names you mentioned can neva be given ticket in my party. I hav started workin wit soludo to hand over to him.
UMU-NNEM O. Remember dat our dear Ojukwu said if we (IGBO) ve been taken back or been recognised as full Nigerians then we should be allowed to produce the president of this country. Today most of us are championin that cos that we are to produce D next president of dis nation. Even in our home Anambra we are together now fighting that Igbo should produce d next president. NOW Since creation of Anambra state apart from ONITSHA in d North tell me d side dat has a good development like other places in South & Central. The North has never produced d governor of our state since creation. PLS FOR Equity and fairness, The North should be given dat chance by d political parties. This is because we all kno dat South and Central control these Major parties. IF U THINK OTHERWISE THEN THAT GLAMOUR FOR IGBO PRESIDECY 2015 WILL ALSO BE SEEN OTHERWISE. In terms of competency, they ar many of Them capable for it for sure. OLISA AGBAKOBA. SAN is der, EZEKWESILI is der, Many From OGBARU, ANAMBRA EAST & WEST.
@Onisha, pls stop day dreaming. I wil not interfer in dis election but wil support the best candidate.
Politics is a war for political gladiators. In the State, we have got these litany of political heavyweights. Therefore, calling for zonning formula in the forthcoming election might be effort in futility. Nevertheless, there is nothing cast on stone as brothers, we can still support good candidate from the zone. I trust the ability of the stakeholders in the state to do good job in this regards. Long Live Anambra State!.
i think action speaks louder dan voice; we should give Dr Chris Ngige chance come 2014 to finish wat he has started…….long live FGN, long ANS.
my there people, i think the game of politics is meant for the right canditate, lets not be deceived by any party or this zoning issue.i so much believe in right candidate. As u can see that a black man is the american president only b/c he is d right candidate,lets not be deceived.i strongly believe that Dr chris ngige remains the best option for anambra people despite his size.
pls i want to ask u ppls one question about this zoning thing.when did it start?we don’t have to be a peoples who sees good road and yet we want to join bush, ngige is good from what we have seeing from him. this is not what we suppose to be talking about right now.what we have to ask God is for him to give us the right man period.not zoning, what of if we make mistake to get wrong person like theo orji of abia state through zoning?
The office shoul be zoned to Chris Ngige
Brodas,i blve dat if u perform very wel,u wil go again..i tink we shld giv NGIGE d chance 2 finish up evry work in anambra state..Ngige is d best gov so far…
Some people should note that Anambra politics isn’t like nigeria politics where anything goes for headship. We want no zoning as it dosen’t exist in the state. Since the creatiom of the state in 1991, all zones have been cotesting governoship election on level playing grounds. All zones freely contested just that the north had not been lucky enough to produce governor of the state. So, if we must go on zoning, it must be dicussed on a round table. For now, Anambra need the best, irrespective of zone he is coming from for 2014. And the person must continue from where Gov. Obi stopped. I believe Obi has laid a solid foundation for the state to speed up development. The person must equally rule under the platform APGA. Again for thoes who easily get carriedaway, UPP is a no political party. I love my state.
I have always loved the class of people who play Anambra politics; though some could be wild with their ambition but that is the spice. To win an election here isn’t a child’s play. One has to really work hard and that is what I think life should be. Survival of the “fittest”. Politics should not be a game of sympathy otherwise who has ever married a mad man or woman for sympathy sake.
Ngige is the answer, anambra pple be wise, look at abia pple they re crying.
A criminal like ngige will never govern us again. A profesional liar and deceiver who became a super rich man thru Anambra state tax payers money. Infact he looted the treasury of the state silently and somebody is proud telling us that he is the best man for the job. Let him tell us where he got the money he used in buying houses in maryland USA, building of old english hotel and other properties scattered in choice areas in nigeria and beyond.
you don’t have to be too personal onwa is still the best candidate he is tested trusted.
Engr ken or what ever you call urself, go and hide ur face in shame because we know ur type. Is only you and ur cohorts that believes that peter obi has not done anything in Anambra state. But i want to tell you that we are not blind, reasonable Anambrians knows that peter obi is laying a solid foundation for the state. Otimkpu like you
Only One man is capable of taking the mantle from Obi and lead anambra to the promise land , Ifeanyi Uba (Capital Oil And Gas ) ,let support this young man who has Anambra at heart ,He will do great things , he will transform Anambra State
Olisa Agbakoba is my man and choice come 2014 governorship election in Anambra State. Ngige, Andy Uba Ifeanyi Uba, Ukachukwu and co should go and rest.
Mr Godwin Chukwunenye Ezeemo is the man to turn Anambra state to American-Dubai-Thaione state for the betterment of the masses. Andy Uba and Chris Ngige are already serving senators from Anambra senatorial districts,south and central respectively. I wonder what the clamour is for? But whatever it may b,EZEEMO IS D NEXT GOVERNOR OF ANAMBRA STATE.
Anambrarians want the best candidates from any senatorial zone. We have gone past politics of God fatherism with the advent of His Excellency Peter Obi.
We need a tested and capable leader from any part of the world so far your father is an Anambra indigene.
In my opinion we should be rallying round candidates who are tested in private or public sector that will be acceptable to all and sundry as the future President of Nigeria. E.g. Dr. Chukwuma Soludo; Olisa Agbakoba SAN; Obinna Uzoh (Gocuz); Oby Ezekwesili etc and some of our Umunne in diaspora.
Please let us not allow sentiment of zoning and accept political jobbers and cycophants as our Governor.
Our children are watching us.
@lawrence.. its a pity u still say d pple ure supportin will transform the state. dats mins Peter obi did not do any tin, let alone transformin the state he has been gorvernin for 6 yrs??? All i know is weda pple blame, critisize, support or castigate Dr. Chris Ngige. all i can tell (just like the blind man whom Jesus Christ gave sight) is dat Ngige made a good History and revolution by breakin Godfatherism prangs in My state, but his tenure wuz truncated by the those still raged with rancour.. He will continu his Good works in the state come 2014! God is doin His work. even in his cabinet, all zones were integrated.. so those pple lookin 4 zoning nids to sit down and become political spectators and observers if they cant go out and make their landmark. if you know Ngige befor he came to political limelight.. u wont talk wrong about him at all.. if he ate tax payers monies.. what was EFCC doin wen he came down from power???? were dey sleeping?? dey (EFCC met him at the airport and left him to come back no more!!!) despite d fact that he is OBJ’s enemy, yet OBJ couldnt tame him!! dats y he still comes out stronger by the day. Long live Anambra State. we are alredy liberated!…. Amen!!!
senator ngige remains the man to truly lift the state from its numerous infrastructural decay
For chris Ngige Anambra people will never foreign goda gow tnwm hekl wh god gn to
@lawrence…that short man NGIGE that you re insulting is the only man that makes me fill governance as a street Nigerian citizen..he is not the talking type or Television governor or bill board governor..his state of the arts roads speak for him..pls stop insulting him cos i rather prefer you to chop millions and Billions and deliver than….onwa we TRADERS re waiting for you come 2014.
I tink the best tin to do is to allow God to give us the next Governor. As the people dat are calling Ngige should becareful cos he will neva be faithful to anambrains if rightfully elected, and as for Andy Uba, we should know dat the crisis in Anambra state originated frm their (ubah’s) family, Ifeanyi Ubah (capital oil & gas) is one man dat I pray that God should neva allow to be the next Governor of my state for as a citizen he is charged in court for corruption and fraud in Lagos. Be u north, south or central, God is all we need.
It’s the turn of Awka man to be the governor. We have sacrificed all our lands for the state. I think it’s our turn too to produce the next governor of the state. God bless Anambra State
I believe anambra north should be given a chance in the upcoming election. It will bring cohesion and not make the zone feel weak and inferior and asides that i believe there are credible individuals from that zone. Those that does not want that zoning should not be campaigning for an igbo president because it will make them hypocrites. Pls let us make the anambra north feel that they still belong. Thats what brothers are for.
“However, what Anambra North has going for it in the 2014 battle
is the support of Governor Obi. The governor and the APGA
national leadership had reportedly promised to support the
emergence of the next governor from the zone. In keeping to that
promise, the governor is believed to be propping up a candidate”. Who the hell is Peter Obi to tell us what to do? He should complete his tenure and step out so that Anambrarians will vote in their Governor. If the north wants to have their own as Governor, then let them unite and produce a candidate, but telling me that it is their turn is an assault to a 21st century intelectual mind. Take ur zoning to Imos state, the may need it there. Though I doubt!
for Anambra North.”
The North claimed to be the determining factor in deciding who governs the state in the past. this they do by using a block vote for the candidate of their choice. This had worked. Now that it suppose to be their turn they are not getting the required reciprocity. let them Consult me on how they will achieve it. I know te magic wand.
everybody here is entitle of his or her own opinion but one thing I knw is dat anambra state need countinuety dis time because I hve found out dat de incumbent gov hve layd a very solid foundations for de incoming one so ndi anambra must get it right dis time so dat dis state wll move out frm her current status. Ndi anambra udo diri unu.
Wether north or south, wat anambrarian need is quality gov
My dear ppl who ar fighting 4 dear candidate pls u ppl shld not divide Anambra with mouth let the credible candidate continue from our back bone 4 development mr.peter Obi .is a shameful thing to some of us who dont know d value of our able governor uptil now.Ngige & Andy Uba if they are gud let them prove it now by representing us well in senate. I hv nt see any difference from Ngige since Anie okonkwo left the sit dat shws making wrong choice instead of Akunyere Dora .we ar one none of this politicians will favour u privately apart from litle loaf of ur bread they dash u during campain.Today peter Obi hv showed us dat to be a leader u hv to pocess all the principles of democracy.His nuetrality & Accountability hv led d state to enhance in development ,dat reminds me Ngige devp.shld be in our all 21 LGA& 172 communities of Anambra not only in your Town Alor also get ready to prove to us d bank and d account number u left #14billions u say u left 4 mr peter Obi as hand over.pls my ppl let b wise an be focus especialy now we ar Oil state God bless us.
i so much believe that seeing is believing, Dr chris nwabueze ngige remains the only Tablet for Anambra solution,mr peter ve not completed any solid project in Anambra state for 6 years,i believe we dont need bill board projects,tv adverts and rest of campaigns for nothing, peters mouth is full of empty promises. Mr obi i believe u’ve travelled alot like i did,is this how other places look like. Beauty our state stop talking rubish,zoning or not,is non of ur business,we ve no hospitals, no roads,no water,no street lights,make this state a sweet home,so that other governors will emulate,pls visit Akwa ibom for example,and testy for your self. You ve not conduct any local govt election for 6 years and you call your self a governor.woman wraper where a your wives Dora akunyili,uju ekwunife,amaka ifediaba, and the women you promised anmbra state electoral,onwa is coming back with full force
The best competent person should take d mantle,and we need fresh people with fresh ideas,we should forget about those past people,ngige,andy uba,ifeanyi and co,we need a new real leader,i think soludo will pull some stunts
dont tel me dat dos senators.ngige n andy re actually planing 2 leave their sits 4 gvship in anambra.dat means only one tin.they re over ambituious if nt so,why didnt they leave d sit 4 other at de 1st place.WE DONT WANT NGIGE,LEST HE TRANSFORMS ALOR INTO UK AT DE EXPENSE OF OTHER TOWN IN DE STATE.i.e s EGOCENTRIC.its bad
I want to be the next governor, pls I need your help financially