2023: Concern PDP Members, Groups Drum Support For Dr Ezeh's Candidature, Vow To Resist Zoning Manipulation's Attempt

By Alo David, Abakaliki Group identified as Ohaukwu Critical Stakeholders Consultative Forum, a socio-political organization has Tuesday passed vote-of-confidence on Senator representing Ebonyi North District, Dr Sam Egwu and Dr Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh as their sole candidates for the senatorial position and gubernatorial aspirant in the upcoming general election.

This is as they frowned upon the negative trends associated with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as allegedly orchestrated by those who are hell bent to thwart the long practically and constitutionally zoning formula in the state. According to press statement signed by the Convener, Chief Emmanuel Ede and Executive, and made available to our correspondent in Abakaliki, Ebonyi state capital. The group expressed displeasure over the twist of events characterized by the enemies of the party who according to him, intends to breed anarchy in the political equation of zoning Governorship position to Ebonyi North Zone.

They noted that their adoption of Dr Ezeh Emmanuel (Immaculate) was presided by his antecedents and tracks records and stated that Dr Ezeh stands tall, considering his exposure, politics of ideas, issues-based and progressive thoughts which made him the candidate to beat as the party go into the main elections. They added that the choice aspirant, according to them is conspicuously fresh and untainted which is an added advantage and called on Senator Egwu to quickly call on expanded stakeholders meeting to help strengthen the efforts to arresting the impending snow. "We the Concerned Critical Stakeholders of of all the communities in Ohaukwu LGA are happy to inform the general public, our brothers, sisters, friends and well-wishers that after a dispassionate review of the political situation in Ebonyi North Senatorial zone, we wish to clearly state as follows: "That His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Sam Egwu remains our Political Leader. We therefore use this medium to pass full vote of confidence in his Leadership and appreciate his fatherly role and dispositions. "That we are totally uncomfortable with the unfortunate instability and uncertainty that has been intentionally created in Ebonyi PDP by those who are hell bent on frustrating the zoning of governorship position to Ebonyi North zone as required by the constitution of our great party. We see this as a deliberate attempt to breed anarchy in the political equation of our dear Ebonyi State. "That we are aware of those our brothers in Ebonyi North who are being used to further divide us and frustrate the political progress of Ebonyi North Zone, in apparent disdain for Ekumenyi dynasty. They added," That we have reviewed the Character, Competence and Capacity of all our contestants in an attempt to separate real contestants from distractors. "Being aware of the political happenings in our zone and appreciating the deep seated challenges existing especially in Izhi clan; created by selfish and desperate politicians; we also wish to state clearly that we know those who created and have kept watering these challenges. It is therefore our conviction that these set of persons who started the unfortunate division cannot provide solutions to it, as theirs have become the case of a poisoned chalice. " That we have, after careful thoughts and critical considerations, came to a conclusion that amongst Ebonyi North candidates, albeit all eminently qualified, Dr Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh stands tall and is hereby adopted as our choice to fly the Governorship ticket under our great party PDP. His exposure, politics of ideas, issues-based and progressive thoughts makes him the candidate to beat as we go into the main elections. He is conspicuously fresh and untainted. "That we hereby urge our leaders, other contestants to jointly support Dr Ezeh's candidacy in order to prevent avoidable crisis in our zone. He represents a bridge of hope. His candidacy promises a new dawn. We call on PDP to do the honourable thing by zoning the governorship position to Ebonyi North Senatorial District/Zone. Ebonyi PDP must remember that it presently stands a party in opposition and must go into this battle with our very best. "We wish to reaffirm our confidence in the leadership of prominent stakeholders like HE, Distinguished Sen Dr. Sam Ominyi Egwu, HE, Distinguished Sen. Pius Anyim, Chief Ali Odefa (NVC, SE), State Working Committee members, our National Assembly Members, State Assembly Members and believe that we are on a path to rescuing our state from APC. We further reaffirm that indeed Ebonyi is PDP and Ebonyi North Senatorial Zone is the home of PDP in our dear state. " We hereby call on HE Distinguished Senator Dr. Sam Egwu to immediately call an expanded stakeholders meeting as our leader and support this well thought-out choice. We are all his children and shall abide by his directives. Izzi LGA Vanguard for Equity

In a similar development, members of Izzi Vanguard for Equity, have expressed worry over the lingering crisis in the decision of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to zone the Governorship position to Ebonyi North Zone. The group warned that any plan to shortchanged the zoning of the gubernatorial position to Ebonyi North and Izzi people precisely would be tantamount to truncation of the smooth pattern of power rotation in the state. "We the Izzi LGA Vanguard for Equity have deemed it fit to openly express our worry over Ebonyi PDP's lingering hesitation to straighten the issue of Zoning, especially as it concerns the governorship position. "It is our express conviction that anything short of exclusive zoning of the governorship position to Ebonyi North Senatorial District would amount to injustice and a truncation of the smooth pattern of power rotation for which Ebonyi State has been known since the return of Democracy in 1999. In a statement signed by the spokesperson, Comrade Fidelis Nwankpu , the group urged the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party to immediately do the needful, even as primary elections approaches. "On our part, we consider qualified all the Ebonyi North sons and daughters who are contesting under the platform of PDP. However, we believe that having a man like Dr Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh to fly the ticket will be the best for the Party. "First, we consider him a breath of fresh air, especially calling to mind the serious mistrust existing among the regular politicians within our LGA. "Second, he has proven himself to posses all the qualities that will give PDP a serious advantage over whoever APC may decide to field in the main election. "We, therefore, call on all PDP critical stakeholders of Ebonyi North to immediately come together and harmonize interest so as to present a common front in the candidacy of Dr Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh while pushing for fairness, even as PDP Primaries draws nearer. "Posterity will be fair to us all in this noble endeavour". Abakaliki LGA Critical Stakeholders Consultative Forum

Another foremost political group, Abakaliki Local Government Area Critical stakeholders Consultative Forum vowed to deliver the entire council to the Peoples Democratic Party. The leader of the forum, Hon. Sunday Eweh, hinted that the group is ready to challenge every nefarious plan to destabilize the party zoning system in the state. The release read in full,"We the Concerned Critical Stakeholders of Abakaliki LGA are happy to inform the general public, our brothers, sisters, friends and well-wishers that after a dispassionate review of the political situation in our zone, we wish to clearly state as follows: "That Abakaliki LGA is PDP. That as the home of the traditional Prime Minister of Izhi Clan, we understand that in times like this, it is imperative we speak in a firm but loud voice that Zoning arrangements must be maintained in our state in order to avert impending implosion occasioned by few elements planted to destroy Ebonyi PDP from within. "HE Excellency, Distinguished Senator Sam Egwu remains our Political Leader. We support strongly his views on Zoning and urge every stakeholder to support this voice of reason before it is too late. "That we are totally uncomfortable with the unfortunate instability and uncertainty that has intentionally been created in Ebonyi PDP by those who are hell bent on frustrating the zoning of governorship position to Ebonyi North zone as required by the constitution of our great party. We see this as a deliberate attempt to play politics of *"Nkari"* and will not allow such culture to become part of our party, so as to avoid possible anarchy in the future. "That we are pained by the promotion of iphfu in our politics by desperate politicians who are ill-prepared for Leadership. They seek power only to dominate rather than build. This politics of division has reduced our clan to laughing stock amongst our contemporaries. This must stop. We need a fresh and untainted hands. We need a man with a clean slate in the person of Dr Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh. We hereby adopt him as our candidate. "We have also noticed with great pains and alarm, the usual characters who are perennial contestants but in reality working for outside interests. We know their game, but this time theirs shall end in shame. " That we need a man of courage, character, competence and commitment with clear vision of what Ebonyians need. Dr Ezeh’s manifesto as unveiled shows a man that is prepared for Leadership. We are honoured to call him our own. The era of half bakes and quota candidates is far gone. We must present our very best. "We urge our elders, other stakeholders to proudly walk this path of honour by joining us in adopting Dr Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh as our sole candidate from Ebonyi North Zone. PDP LEADERS OF THOUGHT IN EBONYI LGA In a related development, the party leaders of thought in Ebonyi Council Area, led by Engr Simon Ngaji Nwodo revealed that the people stand on the zoning principle of the party come 2023 general election. In their letter, the PDP leaders of thought charged the leadership of the party to maintain the unique zoning system in the state as to ensure that the party enthrone Umahi's successor as anything short of such would defeat the party's plan to restore power come 2023. "We wish to use this medium to charge the entire Ebonyi PDP family on the need to sustain political stability in Ebonyi State by ensuring that the usual zoning formula among the three Senatorial Zones is not distorted. "We appeal to all critical stakeholders of the party within Ebonyi North, especially HE, Senator Sam Ominyi Egwu, to immediately call a wider stakeholders meeting, where they could work towards adopting the most credible among our many esteemed governorship aspirants. Continuing, "On our part, we are convinced that a man like Dr Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh stands out among all the Guber aspirants and has all it takes to wrestle power from the APC come 2023. He is not only competent and capable, but has the potential of gaining the widest acceptability not only in Ebonyi North but the whole of Ebonyi State. "His Abridged manifesto is eloquent testimony to the quality of his candidacy. He is fresh and untainted by past misdeeds and irreconcilable differences burdened by most of his competing aspirants. He represents a lease of hope, a technocrat and a man of solid ideas. We are happy to adopt him as our candidate to carry the flag of our great party PDP".