2015: War In Okigwe Zone, As Group Move Against Elites, Frown At Zoning

As intrigues, maneuverings and political scheming rent the air ahead of the 2015 general elections in the state, people of  Okigwe senatorial zone of the state have vowed to kick against any further gang- up against the people of the zone by few elites, who they said have manipulated  the zone to their advantage and that of their cronies for their selfish ends.

Addressing a group of Journalists yesterday in Owerri, a group, the Okigwe Advancement Initiative stated that some elites in the zone, over the years, have continued to hide under the cloak of an outdated zoning arrangement, to impose their preferred stooge at the expense of the good governance, expected by the people who voted them to office.

The coordinator of the association, Mr. Chinonso Obi, in an interview, described those clamouring for the sharing of political offices in the zone to some power blocs as those who are politically irrelevant in the area, maintaining that the people of the zone have the sole right to dictate who represents then at the National Assembly, as well as other political positions.

He said: “It is highly uncharitable for this few group of persons to continue to dictate to the ever intelligent people of Okigwe zone on whose hands to entrust their political future. I want to re-iterate that the people of Okigwe zone are more mature and politically conscious to determine who represents them at any level. All these men masquerading as agents of a particular arrangement called zoning should refrain from further deceiving the people for another four years.”

He wondered why a particular bloc that was allowed to represent the zone for three consecutive periods uninterruptedly, turned to contest the same election through other political parties for another round of representation when the other bloc were yet to have their first shot at the upper chambers of the National Assembly.

Mr. Obi, further warned that the recent moves by the same people he described as agents of division and manipulation to install their favoured candidates to represent Okigwe zone at the Senate would be vehemently rejected by the concerned citizens of the zone.          

The group further advised the elites to imbibe the principles of democracy which recognizes mass participation, adding that qualified sons and daughters of the zone should be allowed to compete favourably with each other and test their popularity at the polls.

They also described the arrangement of ceding the senatorial seat to a particular bloc as undemocratic and an affront against the collective will of the people, while urging the good people of the area to remain vigilant and steadfast in their support for a credible, tested and trusted candidate, whose desire and passion would be anchored on the development of the zone and ensuring its sustenance.