Prominent political leaders from Ukwa/Ngwa area of Abia State have commended the state Governor, Chief Theodore Ahamefula Orji, for his declaration that the governorship seat of the state will move to Abia South Senatorial District and not just Ukwa/Ngwa in 2015.
Orji, who at the beginning of his second term promised to handover to an Ngwa man, declared last week during the swearing-in of the newly appointed Transition Committee chairmen for the 17 local government areas of the state in Umuahia, that power will move to Abia South in 2015.
His words: “I am a product of rotation.
“If there was no rotation, I may not be governor today.
“I must continue with rotation because power moved from Abia North to Abia Central and must go to South.
“It is incumbent on me because failure to do that will be injustice to myself and my party.
“It is fair to both God and man.”
Reacting to the development, a political leader of Ukwa/Ngwa, Chief Emmanuel Adaelu, said: “I want to express my sincere thanks to our dear Governor, Chief T. A. Orji, because he is a man of his words.
“During his second missionary journey as governor, we gave him our total support to ensure his re-election in 2011 and he promised our people that he will handover to an Ngwa man.
“Since then, we have been waiting for him to make this pronouncement.
“Now he has made it emphatically clear to Abians that power will move to Abia South and not just Ukwa/Ngwa in 2015.
“I am very happy and my people, both the Ngwa people in Abia Central and the Ukwa/Ngwa people in Abia South are happy.
“Governor Orji is a man of equity and we respect him.
“I know that so many people have been putting pressure on him, trying to dissuade him not to do this, but he has done it right.
“I am one of the early supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party and our party supports the policy of zoning.
“The former governor came from Abia North, the present Governor, Chief T. A. Orji, is from Abia Central, therefore, it is imperative and justifiable in compliance with the PDP policy that power moves to Abia South in 2015.
“His declaration of support for Abia South is a major step in actualizing our quest for an Abia governor from the Ngwa extraction.”
Adaelu, who is from the Ngwa area in Abia Central Senatorial District, stressed: “I was one of the people that supported zoning among the three senatorial districts in Abia State and I insist on that irrespective of the fact that I am from Abia Central.
“Again I will not deny that fact that the movement began from Abia North, moved to my senatorial district, Abia Central, with our dear governor, who is on the saddle now.
“Therefore, equity and good policy demands that we all support the movement to Abia South in 2015 and that is what we will do.”
On the issue of aspirants from outside Abia South, Adaelu said that there is nothing wrong for anybody to aspire, but said: “At the right time, the leaders of the people will take a stand and whatever stand we take, will decide what will happen.
“Anybody aspiring to be governor in 2015 from Abia Central or Abia North should know that it is the turn of the Abia South to produce the governor for us in 2015.
“Abia Central cannot produce two governors in succession that is why it should go to Abia South that is what equity demands.
“We are pulling the bulk of people from Aba zone to support whoever emerges.
“I am speaking the minds of my people.”
Barrister Chibuike Nwokeukwu, another frontline Ngwa political leader from Abia Central, also commended Orji and said that political leaders and traditional rulers in Ukwa/Ngwa are already perfecting plans to summon all Ngwa governorship aspirants to a meeting where the aspirants will be advised on the need for a consensus.
Nwokeukwu’s words: “The agitation for power shift to Abia South in 2015 is real.
“The declaration by Governor T. A. Orji makes it more real.
“Being a man, I know whatever he says, within his competence, Governor T. A. Orji will do it.
“I commend him for what he has done.
“We are happy.
“The governor’s declaration does not mean that he has chosen a candidate.
“No, it is the party that will choose the candidate.
“I also know the old saying that a tree does not make a forest, but a tree can give an indication where a forest should be.”
Nwokeukwu said that those who have indicated interest in the governorship race are qualified.
However, he cautioned the aspirants to be mindful of the fact that all of them will not be governor at once.
He said: “Everyone of them who has indicated interest to be governor is qualified to be, but the truth about it is that only one person will be governor at a time.
“So all we have to do as leaders of the community is to invite these our sons and daughters that have indicated interest for governorship and say to them: ladies and gentlemen, this is time for us to be reasonable about this thing.”
Nwokeukwu also revealed: “I want to assure you that the leaders of Ukwa/Ngwa are holding series of meetings.
“Elder Emmanuel Adaelu, who is the political leader of our people, has been calling meetings with political leaders, traditional rulers and other stakeholders in Ukwa/Ngwa and we have agreed.
“The next stage is for us to invite all the aspirants to make them understand that only one person will be governor at a time.”
Also, Dr. Sampson Esochaghi commended the governor.
Esochaghi said: “Abia North has had their turn.
“Abia Central, where I come from, is completing their turn.
“And consequently, Abia South should be the next.
“So what the governor said is very much in order.
“We all, those of us from the Ngwa areas of Abia Central and our people in Abia South are Ukwa/Ngwa.
“And Ukwa/Ngwa is not a government recognized grouping in whatever terms.
“Ukwa/Ngwa is a socio-cultural grouping of the people of Ngwa and Ukwa.
“What is known in the state is the three senatorial districts.
“That is: Abia North, Abia Central and Abia South.
“Anybody from Abia Central running for the governorship race in 2015 is completely out of it.
“The person has to give peace a chance and let those from Abia South do the business.”
In a related development, the Abia South PDP has passed a vote of confidence on the Governor Orji and promised an unflinching support to his administration.
A communique issued after an enlarged meeting held at the senatorial office of the party in Aba last Thursday and signed by the Abia South Chairman and Secretary of the party, S.O. Ebere and Sir Esiaba Iwezo, reads: “The Abia South PDP hereby passes a vote of confidence on the governor, Chief TA Orji for his unprecedented developmental strides in the state and the peace and unity he has brought to bear in Abia State, and the state chapter of PDP.
“The people of Abia South Senatorial District commend our dear Governor for his resolute stand that the next governor of the state come 2015 shall be of the Abia South extraction for fairness, equity and justice as Abia North and Abia Central have taken their turns in the governorship of the state.
“Abia South calls on Abians from North and Central to support the emergence of the Governor from the South come 2015.
“The people of Abia South shall continue to support the people-oriented government of Chief TA Orji.”
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