AS Nigeria begins political processes that will produce candidates for the 2023 general elections, pan Igbo group, Odinma Ebonyi Foundation, ODEF on Monday raise the alarm on idea of equity and zoning that dominate political discussion in Ebonyi State by some members of the All Progressives Congress, APC and the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
The group disagrees with equity and zoning as a guiding compass to the 2023 general elections.
To consolidate democracy and set the state on the part of progress and development, the group said, equity, zoning as against capacity, competence and credibility should, not form the basis of who flies party ticket in Ebonyi State, nay Nigeria.
Executive Director of the group, Collins Azu who in a statement made available to media houses berated zoning and equity proponents, emphasised the need for various political gladiators to rise to the onerous tasks of nation building by dropping the idea of imposition of mediocre—incompetent, abrasive, haughty and sellouts—an unfortunate trappings that come with zoning and equity as political candidates in the electoral process.
The Executive Director insisted that candidates should for various political positions should emerge on the basis of one’s senatorial districts.
Azu argued that pushing the zoning idea is tantamount to truncating the lofty dreams of our founding fathers—building egalitarian society where love and justice take precedence over other ideals.
He urged party stakeholders to borrow a leaf from ancient Greece—where democracy originated, who preferred capacity, ideological understanding of realities in the context of governance as critical requirements for selecting candidates— and not zoning.
For Ebonyi State to move forward, ODEF Executive Director says various actors must urgently close ranks— quash equity and zoning and opt for one with broad-minded heart to consolidate democracy and deliver its dividends to the people.
The group vows to resist every attempt by All Progressives Congress, APC and the People’s Democratic Party, PDP to field candidates on the grounds of zoning and equity
