The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has strongly condemned what it described as a bizarre zoning arrangement of the governorship seat in Abia State by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), warning that “there are as always, dare consequences of jettisoning equity in any political arrangement.”
The state PDP had recently announced the zoning of the party’s governorship ticket to Abia Central and Abia North senatorial districts with the excuse that both zones have the highest number of aspirants for the number one position. However, the CNPP, in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, frowned at the zoning arrangement, wondering how two senatorial districts would produce the next governor of Abia State.
The CNPP maintained that “if past zoning arrangements were never lumped up, why now?” The group added: “Since it is unarguable that Abia South and Abia Central have taken their turns to produce a governor of the state, equity demands that Abia North should be allowed to take their turn in 2023. “Zoning the governorship seat to two, out of three senatorial districts, is illthought as it is illogical.
If for any reason the zoning arrangement is to be changed, it should justly be after the turn of Abia North. “The CNPP, hereby, calls all opposition parties in Abia State to take advantage of the current abnormal zoning by the PDP to capture the state by towing the path of equity and ensuring that all the senatorial district have a sense of belonging. “Our democracy can only blossom in an atmosphere of justice and fairplay as no state, or country can evenly develop in the face of injustice, whether perceived or real”, the CNPP warned.
In another development, the CNPP has congratulated the governor of Yobe State and Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Mai Mala Buni and members of the committee for managing the uncertainties that trailed the March 26, 2022 national convention of the ruling party.
The umbrella body of registered political parties also congratulated the Senator Abdullahi Adamu-led National Working Committee (NWC) on their emergence. The CNPP then urged the “new APC leadership to uphold internal party democracy to ensure that the best candidates emerge through APC primaries, particularly ahead of the 2023 general elections.” Speaking on the experience of the new National Chairman of the APC, the group said: “Alhaji Abdullahi Adamu is an experienced politician, who has been an active player since the current political dispensation in 1999. “The CNPP believes that he understands the core value of internal democracy in a political party and we enjoin his leadership to uphold same and allow members of the party to decide who represent the APC in any election at all levels.”
