Enugu Group Rejects Chime, Endorses Ekweremadu For Another Term

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, Politics Friday, November 14th, 2014

From Ignatius Okpara, Enugu

The Peoples Democratic party PDP consensus governorship candidate arrangement in Enugu state and Senatorial dream of Governor Sullivan Chime have suffered a set back.

Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu

This followed the rejection of Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of the Federal House of Representatives as the PDP consensus candidate in the state, in 2015 by foremost socio cultural organization in the state, under the aegis of ‘Greater Awgu People’s Protection Solidarity (GAPPS).

Besides, while the group also picked holes in the Senatorial ambition of Governor Chime, they endorsed the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu’s re-election for 4th term in office.

GAPPS, lamented the lopsidedness of the acclaimed ‘Triangular equilibrium of rotating political power in the state, saying it had never favoured ‘Greater Awgu.

According to the group, the Awgu cultural zone is made up of Ani Nri, Awgu and Oji River council areas of the state, indicating that the area had continued to suffer total marginalization over the years.

Rather than supporting the Ugwuanyi’s candidacy, they canvassed for Engineer Anayo Onwuegbu, of Awgu cultural zone and whom they described as the best governorship candidate of the ruling PDP in the state in 2015 governorship election.

Onwuegbu, who is one of the major contenders of the 2015 governorship race, hails from Oji River council area, of the state.

Briefing news men in Enugu, alongside other Principal officers of GAPPS, its Coordinator – General, Hon. Amaechi Okoli Sadiq, said it was absurd to have enclaved the ‘Greater Awgu’ cultural zone with ‘Agbaja’[Udi/Ezeagu] cultural zone under one Enugu West Senatorial zone.

He said “Whereas ‘Nsukka cultural zone forms Enugu North senatorial zone while ‘Nkanu ‘cultural zone alone is carved out as Enugu East senatorial zone.

The GAPPS coordinator said in actual sense, there were four distinguished cultural zones in the state that should always be considered in the power sharing and zoning formula of the state.

He lamented that the Agbaja ‘cultural zone (Udi/Ezeagu constituency) has continued to dominate political appointments and elective positions that accrues for Enugu West senatorial zone at the detriment of ‘Greater Awgu’[Ani Nri/Awgu/Oji River], therefore the need to allow Greater Awgu to produce the next Civilian governor of the state.

“For instance, ‘Agbaja[Udi/Ezeagu constiuency] unitarily produced the governor of the state[Chime] for Eight years.

They also cornered the Ministerial and Ambassadorial appointments in the past Seven years, while Greater Awgu cultural zone, which is part of Enugu West senatorial zone amidst its crop of intellectuals has none and left without any state establishment .

Hon. Okoli Sadiq, stated that Recent events in Enugu state have poignantly revealed that these other groups seem to be either acting out of ignorance of the true situation or were playing politics with the destinies of millions of innocent people’

“For instance, many people either do not know or do not want to know that ‘Greater Awgu’ people are totally a distinct sub cultural group from ‘Agbaja’[Udi] people.

“The fact that the two cultural zones make up Enugu West Senatorial zone does not make them same sub cultural group.

He said every prominent personality from ‘Greater Awgu’ axis of Enugu state were solidly behind Engineer Onwuegbu governorship ambition in 2015, because he is the best experienced candidate among the other PDP guber candidates in the state while his emergence would also be considered as one of the measures of closing the marginalization of the Geater Awgu cultural zone in the politics of the state.

“Likewise, GAPPS expressed their support for the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu , to be allowed to return to the senate for another term in 2015, based on his qualitative representation as Enugu West senatorial district.

“Ekweremadu, have contributed meaningfully to the sustenance of the democratic process in the country.

GAPPS, described Senator Ike Ekwereamadu as the only national political bride from Greater Awgu cultural zone, who has been contributing immensely to national development and wondered why Governor Sullivan Chime is nursing the ambition to go and replace him in 2015.