In its efforts to douse tension over which zone will produce the successor of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in 2023, the Abia State wing of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Saturday zoned the governorship seat to Abia North and Abia Central senatorial districts.
Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Fabian Nwankwo who disclosed this at the party’s secretariat in Umuahia in a press briefing, said that the decision was taken because of the high agitations from both zones.
The decision according to him was made after wide consultations with leaders and stakeholders of the party.
Reading from prepared text signed by the Chairman of the party, Dr. Asiforo Okere, the Nwankwo noted that the decision was also the outcome of the recent tour of the 17 Local Government Areas of the state and subsequent meeting of the State Working Committee and the entire Executive Committee.
The statement read in part:” That the governorship position for 2023 election be zoned to Abia Central Senatorial Districts and Abia North Senatorial District.
“That all those from the above mentioned zones who are aspiring for the position of the Abia State Governor should liaise with the party for presentation to the state elders Committee between today, March 26 and latest March 30, 2022”.
The party, however, disclosed that it had not banned any aspirant from outside the two zones from contesting.
On why the party decided to zone the party’s governorship ticket to two zones instead of one as was the case in 2015, Nwankwo said it was because both zones “have high number of governorship aspirants”.
He explained that the party was trying to see the best way it could be fair to all, pointing out that delegates at the primaries will finally decide on who will fly the party’s flag.
Nwankwo further stated that what matters to the party was to present the most qualified, competent and saleable candidate with the needed contacts, appeal and clout to deliver and that the old membership card of the party had been invalidated, urging party members to pick the new membership card which is free of charge.
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
