Less than 24 hours after the Peoples Democratic Party in Abia State announced its decision to zone the governorship to Abia Central and North senatorial districts, stakeholders in the party in the state have faulted the move.
The Senate Minority Leader, who represents Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe, and a former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, said the zoning formula was a ploy to perpetuate godfatherism and imposition, and described it as “absolutely unconstitutional, confusing and not clear-cut.”
Abaribe said in a statement on Sunday, “My attention has been drawn to a document signed by the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Alwell Asiforo, purporting that the Abia State PDP has zoned the governorship seat to Abia North and Abia Central, and wish to assure all Abians, who are desirous of an end to imposition in Abia State, to disregard the purported zoning for the following reasons:
“While any member of the PDP has the right to support anybody for any elective position in Nigeria, it cannot be to the exclusion of any other member.
“It is obvious that the statement was merely formulated to exclude me from the contest.
“All PDP members and Abia citizens are, therefore, urged to remain calm and participate in the forthcoming congresses and primaries, where your voice will be heard, as we dismantle the cabal that wants to keep Abians subjected to further years of imposition. It is only Abians that will decide who will be their governor in 2023.”
Wabara, who is the Secretary, Board of Trustees of the PDP, expressed worry that the party could take such a far-reaching decision without first convening a meeting of the state caucus and party elders, stating, “The governor and the party chairman cannot stay in the comfort of their offices and zone the position of Abia governorship without due consultation.
“The PDP is a party that has a constitution. So, I don’t know where they got the whole idea from. As far as I and many other leaders of this party are concerned, they did not summon a meeting of the caucus. I am not sure other leaders attended any caucus meeting not to talk of attending any elders’ council meeting where such decisions were reached.
“I may not be a founding father of the PDP, but I am a founding member of the party. In 1998 when we founded this party, I did not see the likes of Okezie and Asiforo there. Therefore, the zoning is unilateral, childish and laughable.
“So, it is laughable that the state party chairman went on a tour of 17 party LGA offices and then came up with this childish zoning. That’s not where the decision on zoning a vital office as the governorship of Abia State is taken. It cannot be taken during the tour, where they are being received with fanfare. That’s not where such an important decision is taken.”
He added, “The governor is our leader. Let him tell us where the decision on zoning was taken. Although I may not be on the same page with him, others and I should be in the meeting where zoning will be discussed.”
