2023: Honour 2014 Agreement To Allow Enugu East Produce Next Governor, Onyia tells PDP

Former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dubem Onyia, has advised the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Enugu State Chapter to honour the unwritten agreement entered into in 2014 that led to the election of current governor of the state, Mr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Onyia said the agreement which was well attended in 2014 was to ensure there was peace and orderly transmission of power on rotational basis among the three senatorial zones.

Onyia stated this in a statement released on Wednesday, a copy of which was sent to THE WHISTLER.

Making a claim on the arrangement, he explained that Ugwuanyi who is of the PDP and from the Nsukka speaking people of Enugu North Senatorial Zone is a product of a zoning formula that ensured that power rotates amongst the three Senatorial zones.

The two other Zones, Enugu East and Enugu West had had their turns in the persons of Chimaraoke Nnamani and Sullivan Chime he noted.

According to Onyia, the ongoing contestation on where the next governor should come from was avoidable, stressing that as one of the founding fathers of the state, he will not watch to see the state degenerate into turmoil.

The former federal parliamentarian said that as one of the converners of the state, “It is my duty to ensure that there is peace, tranquility and brotherlines in the state”.

He noted that earlier in 2014 in a caucus meeting of stakeholders in Enugu State, he moved a motion for the office of Governor of the State to rotate amongst the three Senatorial zones of the State.

According to him, he had made a passionate appeal that for Enugu State to have peace and for justice and fairness to reign, there was need for the highest political office in the state to rotate amongst the three Senatorial zones.

He noted that his motion was overwhelmingly endorsed at the meeting attended by the then state governor, Sullivan Chime, Senators, House of Representatives Members, former governors, PDP state leadership and other stakeholders in the State.

The motion which stated that after Enugu North Senatorial Zone, it will be the turn of Enugu East Zone, according to him “was in the minutes of the PDP caucus meeting which was adopted in it’s subsequent meeting.”

Onyia pointed out that, following the adoption of his motion, Enugu North was then endorsed to produce the governorship candidate that saw Ugwuanyi elected into office.

According to him, it should be the turn of Enugu East now to produce the next candidate for the party.

According to him, ” I am appealing to PDP Enugu State to allow Enugu East to take their turn. It will be very unfair, illogical and against the rules of equity for another zone to aspire to produce the governorship candidate when Enugu East has now waited for 16 years since it had its turn.”

“I am and will always be in support of a rancour free transition in the interest of the unity of the State,” Onyia said.

He added that he will continue to support all efforts to sustain peace equity and progress in the State.