Enugu 2023 guber: Group urges justice, equity, fairness in zoning

A pressure group, Nsukka Journalists Foundation (NJF) has called for peace, justice, equity and fairness as the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) zones its governorship seat to Enugu East Senatorial District.

NJF in a statement issued in Enugu on Sunday warned against the “resurrection of the dreaded Ebeano political family that many Enugu State families have wrong and traumatising memory of.”

The statement was signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees (BOT), Mr Ike Abonyi and Mr Paul Odenyi respectively.

It was also signed by its Acting Chairman, Mrs Amaka Nnaji-Ukwaba and the Secretary, Mr Brendan Eze.

“We the members of the Nsukka Journalists Foundation (NJF) a non-partisan, non-governmental professional organisation have monitored closely the political schemings going on in the state ahead of 2023.

“We restrained ourselves from delving into the partisan politics because our members’ interests are divergent and varied along party and individual lines.

“But our constitution mandates us to show more than passing interest in the political activities leading to the selection of leaders in line with our motto, ‘Conscience of the People,” the group said.

The foundation said it was particularly concerned about the devious act going in the name of politics to domicile all political positions in Enugu East senatorial district in just one area of the zone.

According to the group, political leaders in the state are trying to allot the seats of the three House of Representatives, Senate and governor to one area that has already produced governors and ministers in the past.

“We are in agreement with the school of thoughts asserting that the zoning formular in the state since 1999 should be retained because it has helped to create political stability, the foundation said.

NJF said that the scheming was against the people of Isi-Uzo Local Government Area that had never produced governor, senator or minister.

“The NJF therefore will stand up vehemently against any move to totally deny Isi-Uzo Local Government Area in Enugu East of their dues.

“They are politically and geopolitically part and parcel of the senatorial zone but have remained grossly marginalised in appointments and infrastructural development.

“It will be the height of injustice in the land to exclude Isi-Uzo from all the five key elective positions (Governor, Senator and 3 House of Representatives seats), meant for the senatorial district.” NJF said.