Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
The decision of the Aba State Caucus of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to zone the vacant governorship ticket to Isiala Ngwa North Local Government has rekindled fresh anger among party members from Abia North.
The state caucus had on Sunday zoned the ticket to Isiala Ngwa North where the late governorship candidate, Prof. Eleazar Uche Ikonne, hailed from in apparent compensation of the area.
But it has emerged that the zoning arrangement, like in the previous occasion, stirred up rancour and resentment during the meeting of the state caucus.
The Vice-Chairman/Acting State Publicity Secretary of Abia PDP, Hon. Amah Abraham, who announced the caucus decision on zoning, had created the impression that it was a unanimous decision.
He said that party members should “support the decision of the party caucus and work towards a successful primary election coming up on February 4, 2023.”
However, it was learnt from multiple sources at the meeting that the decision on zoning was met with stiff opposition from some of the caucus members, who vehemently argued in favour of taking the governorship ticket to Abia North Senatorial District.
To overcome the opposition to the zoning arrangement, it was further learnt that the zoning arrangement was put to voting and those on the side of the governor carried the day.
Even at that, the outcome of the voting was not regarded as a sign of unanimous decision as some of the caucus members simply refused to vote.
“We must not forget that the initial zoning was to Abia Central and Abia North. Now that unfortunately the person who grabbed it from Abia Central has passed on, it’s only proper that our attention should turn to Abia North,” a source said.
He pointed out that since the fresh primary election ordered by INEC “doesn’t envisage new entrants into the race,” the decision to zone the ticket to Isiala Ngwa North could throw up more complications.
The spokesman of Abia State PDP had strived to give the impression that the zoning arrangement enjoyed wide support. He explained that the membership of the caucus “is drawn from across the state, including Abia North, Ikwuano/Umuahia, Ukwa East and Ukwa West Local Government areas.”
He named those at the meeting to include Governor Okozie Ikpeazu, his predecessor, Senator Theodore A. Orji and the Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji.
The Senatorial Candidates of the PDP for Abia North, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa and his counterpart for Abia Central, Col. Austin Akobundu, were also at the meeting as well as the statutory members of the Abia State PDP caucus.
Meanwhile, Ikpeazu is making frantic efforts to douse tensions in the party.
He held meeting with 53 selected persons from Abia North on Monday during which he appealed to them to accept the party’s decision on zoning and help cool the boiling temper in the zone to avoid plunging the ruling party into fresh crisis.
