?How Politicians play zoning card to win elections
As some aspirants jostling for Okigwe senatorial seat continue to outwit each other by stirring up deceitful zoning sentiments and blackmail ahead of the 2015 general elections, one major factor that has been on some of their lips is the zoning of the Okigwe senatorial seat to different local government and communities.
According to anonymous sources who spoke to our reporters, Okigwe zoning has been the deceptive and winning tool some leaders of Okigwe zone, who belonged to a particular political party used to achieve their aims at the large expense of the greater percentage of the people who are considered backward when dividends of democracy is discussed together with other zone?s in the state.
Investigations further revealed that the much touted zoning arrangement which was allegedly adopted by a particular political party in the past to distribute power among its cronies is now being kicked against by the people of the zone, even as some aspirants succinctly described as ?food is ready politicians? by our sources are already all out to play the deceptive political card and cajole their people into gaining their support.
?I must tell you, this political lexicon they referred to as zoning is only being paraded by food is ready politicians. These are crop of people who do not possess the winning wand, but resort to ?blessing? from their political god-fathers in the name if zoning. These are people who are afraid of free and fair contest because they are bereft with the needed ideas and visions of transforming this zone from its litany of challenges, and this why we have remained where we are till today?, the source stated.
Meanwhile, in what looked like a punch to the perfected plans of these politicians recently played out when one of the elder statesmen from the zone, Chief E.J.K Onyebuchi, graphically explained the rotation of representative power among the six Local government areas of the zone since 1978.
Giving insight on zoning of elective positions in the area, he said that in the year 1978, before the first ever senatorial election in Okigwe zone, the leaders which included, Prof. Echeruo, Former Governor Sam Mbakewe, Nze Philip Nwosu, Chief Benson Maduako, Chief Anamekwe and other stakeholders held a meeting at Mr. ‘O.k 2000’s’ residence in Okigwe local government where Chief EJK Onyewuchi made the proposal that the first senate slot should go to Okigwe local government council, a proposal which an Okigwe man stood up and zoned to Ehime Mbano, after which a conclusion was reached that the seat should rotate to all the remaining local government areas in the zone, except in a situation whereby a particular local government is considered to have performed optimally, that area would be given another chance to further represent the zone.
He emphasized that three local governments in the area, namely; Ehime Mbano, Isiala Mbano and Obowo have had their shots at the senate, while Ihitte-Uboma, Onuimo and Okigwe local governments are yet to represent the zone in the senate.
He therefore pointed out that for equity and fair-play, any credible candidate from the three remaining local government areas should be allowed to represent the zone this time.
The elder states man, further described proponents of the said zoning based on clannish arrangement as ignorant of the provisions of the country?s electoral arrangement, as the known arrangements have been based on either, Communities, Wards, LGAs, Federal constituencies and zones, maintaining that zoning favors Ihitte-Uboma,Onuimo and okigwe local government.
Source:?Emeka Ahaneku
