Abia 2023: Oke-Ezuola-Abia as the colour of justice and equity

BY TONY ICHEKU

The general election year is behind the corner as we walk towards 2023, and massive flow of information, plus propaganda are its forerunners.

We would zero in on the Abia state governorship election also holding next year where a controversial document — the Abia charter of eqluity has been twisted and manipulated towards selfish and egoistic ends by ambitious characters with ulterior motives pretending to offer leadership.

While the existence of Abia charter of equity may not be in contention, no two Abians agree on its role as a reference point for sharing of the governorship position.

Positions so far proffered on the matter by interested parties have been mischievous, unreliable, error-ridden and tendentious.

Some border on actual falsehood, for instance what can one make of the allegation that: “Bende sons did not respect the abia charter of equity. It is strange to hear them now making a song and dance of the arrangement. I join those who view their volubility as masquerading greed and insatiability,” expressed by the respected communications expert, Chido Nwakanma, writing in his column ‘The Public Sphere’.

Nwakanma, arguing from a very narrow clannish point of view, could not help but lapse into such half-truth and uncalled-for finger pointing. Remarkably, he was echoing the politically inconsistent writer, Don Ubani, who first attempted to rubbish the energy and creativity expended by former governor, Theodore A. Orji (from the Bende extraction) to ensure that the governorship position goes round Abia’s three senatorial districts as a matter of justice and equity.

Orji’s untiring efforts to see Abia south govern the state for two terms gave rise to the submission that ‘Oke-Ezuola-Abia’ (every part of Abia has got its portion). But like Oliver Twist, the Ukwa-Ngwa of Abia south are now asking for more. Bende zone had four terms: two terms for Abia north and two for Abia central. After Abia south, it is now the turn of Umunneato Ngwa in Abia central to have a shot of two terms too, so runs the grain of their argument.

To pull the rug off the feet of the Ukwa-Ngwa four-term advocates, the so-called Abia charter of equity was not a charter for the creation of Abia state in 1991. Abia is the product of a military fiat and decree.

Fast forward to the present, what is now sacrosanct about the political reality in the state is the constitutional three senatorial districts, or other constitutional divisions.

Perhaps, it is in the spirit of ‘Oke-Ezuola-Abia’ that prompted Eyinnaya Abaribe to declare his governorship ambition not minding that the incumbent governor Okezie Ikpeazu is from the same Obingwa LGA like him

Nkechi Nwaogu gives a clearer picture of the matter thus: “Zoning has never happened in Abia before. Our founding fathers saw the goodness in Abia and drew what we call the Abia chapter of equity that recognised the old Bende and old Aba zone or the Ukwa Ngwa as it was called. For governorship in Abia, it is two major political blocs. In Abia state, what we have that determines where somebody comes from for governorship purpose is either you are from old Bende, comprising of eight local governments, or Ukwa Ngwa. There was never a time in the history of Abia that we adherred to a zoning formula for governorship purposes. Since Abia was created in 1991, people have campaigned and vied for governorship from every part of the state”.

If we take a closer scrutiny of the equity argument of the Ukwa-Ngwa, it seems reasonable and logical, afterall fair is fair, if the Bende side has done 16 years, should they go again in 2023.

But hear Nwaogu again: “There was never a time in the history of Abia that we adherred to a zoning formula for governorship purposes. Since Abia was created in 1991, people have campaigned and vied for governorship from every part of the state”. And indeed so it has always been, a race open to merit-based selection or the survival of the fittest. No zone ever gave an inch to the other despite the charter.

In 1999, those who jostled for PDP Abia guber ticket included: Orji Uzor Kalu (Abia north); Dan Nwankwo (Abia south); Getshom Amuta (Ngwa, Abia central); Chukwu Wachukwu (Ngwa, Abia central) and others, Kalu PDP’s flagbearer. For the then All Peoples Party (APP) it was Vincent Ogbulafor (Abia central) triumphing over the likes of Nwaogu.

The 1999 election proper had Max Nduaguibe, flying AD flag (Ngwa, Abia central); Ogbulafor, APP, (Abia central) and OUK, PDP, (Abia north)

Kalu’s second term ambition in 2003 was nearly truncated by Abaribe, Ngwa (Abia south), who ran under the ANPP. Running as Pan Ukwa-Ngwa candidate, Abaribe’s slogan was ‘Otu Onu‘, it was a clannish and self-centered gamble which failed to win support even from his people.

In 2007 when T.A. Orji emerged governor under the PPA, the Ukwa-Ngwa politicians like Chinonyerem Macebuh, Iheanacho Okezie Orji, and others slugged it out with Onyema Ugochukwu for PDP ticket with the latter emerging victorious.

In 2011, as if to make up for 2007 where it was nearly a race for Bende part of Abia Central, the Ukwa-Ngwa were out in full force in 2011 with the likes of Chris Akoma of PPA; Paul Ikonne of ACN; Reagan Ofomba of APGA and Bob Ogu of ANPP.

From the foregoing, one can state emphatically that at no point since 1999 has the governorship been zoned or allotted to any political divine based on any charter or other extraneous sentiment. It has always been political battle royale with the strongest and most strategic winning.

Even as the pro-Umunneato Ngwa wax sanctimonious and threatening, let it be on record that since 1999, the much touted majority of the Ukwa-Ngwa with its nine local government areas of about 2.3 million people with which they want to bully the rest of the state has not availed them much.

What is the way forward? Oke-Ezuola-Abia, let the governorship race be thrown open without let or hindrance, let the best win. The charter of equity has never been respected, enforced nor observed, or at best observed only in breach, the records attest to this fact

Icheku writes from Abuja