Anambra 2021: Fresh rumbles in PDP over zoning

In spite of claims to the contrary, rumbles in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over zoning of the governorship slot for this year’s election in Anambra State is yet to abate, reports Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu

 

Zoning is one factor that most observers agree would heat up Anambra State polity as the Southeast state prepares for the governorship election scheduled to hold on November 6, 2021. Ironically, while the other major political parties in the state seem to have overcome the fear of possible crisis arising from the zoning debate, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party that actually formalised zoning as a policy in the state, has been battling with the issue as it prepares to produce its candidate for the governorship election.

The Nation gathers during the week that the 15-man committee recently set-up by stakeholders to champion the emergence of a candidate from the South Senatorial District, is worried as “some of the aspirants from outside of the South seem unwilling to give in.”

It is on record that zoning, as a PDP policy in Anambra State, was formalised during the tenure of Governor Peter Obi. So, as aspirants indicate interest to contest this year’s election, one fear they all have to contend with is whether they would be favoured by a zoning policy. As a result of that fact, analysts said more than any other issue, it is possible that zoning consideration will not only play a major role in the determination of the aspirant to fly the parties’ flags but will also shape the voting patterns during the election.

More critically, it is being feared that it may also constitute the major source of disagreements and friction.

Mr. Cletus Ozondi, a current affairs analyst in Awka, told The Nation that “Many informed observers today are afraid that disagreement over zoning issue may cause frictions during the primaries and in fact during the elections proper.” This, according him “is even more likely in the PDP, where fresh rumbles confirm that not all stakeholders have accepted the zoning of the governorship to Anambra South Senatorial District. The leaders are no longer in agreement and this is unfortunate because even the other parties seem to have gone beyond this level. I think PDP in Anambra today is disadvantaged because of this singular disagreement over the issue of zoning. We all know the party parades heavyweights but what is the value of parading heavyweights when they disagree among themselves. Except something positive happens, the fear is that the top aspirants in PDP today may end up working against each other. When this happens, your guess is as good as mine,” he said.

Genesis of the renewed zoning debate

The genesis of the renewed disagreement over zoning in Anambra State PDP can be traced to 2020, when it was reported that the party would no longer adopt the zoning formula in deciding its candidate for the 2021 Anambra State governorship election.

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The party, according to the report, said it would rather pay attention to the question of how to produce a credible candidate for the election.

At a press briefing in Abuja presided over by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP reportedly warned that it would sanction members who resort to litigation.

Ologbondiyan was quoted as saying that “the resolution of the party against zoning was sequel to a resolution by party stakeholders in Anambra State and the Southeast region.

Also, we learnt the fresh agitation is a reaction to the resolution of the Southeast PDP, dated July 3, 2020,

Confirming however that many, especially stakeholders from Anambra South Senatorial Zone, did not accept this resolution, many governorship aspirants from the zone held fresh meeting with the former governor of the state, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, and issued a communique stating that the PDP in the state had agreed to zone the governorship ticket to the South.

Since then, the quest of Anambra South Senatorial District to produce a candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the November 6, 2021 Governorship Election has dominated discussions.

At a recent stakeholders’ meeting, held in Amichi in Nnewi South Local Government Area of the state, there were opposing views on the zoning dilemma.

While most of the aspirants and stakeholders from the zone supported the demand, others argued that what the PDP needs to win the Anambra State governorship election this year is to pay more emphasis on capacity and acceptability of the candidate. Among the governorship aspirants that spoke at the event were Senator Uche Ekwunife, Valentine Ozigbo, and Ifenna Okwenna.

It would be recalled, however that when The Nation, in a recent interview asked one of the governorship aspirants, Ezeemo the role zoning will likely play in his aspiration, the aspirant, who is from Anambra South, said: “I live in Anambra State. I am aware of all that is associated with our immediate environment. I think I have the capacity to contest for the election with other contestants. I am in the race not because of zoning even though I am from the South Senatorial Zone. A lot of the aspirants are good. But most of them don’t know the political terrain of Anambra State. Some that know have some bottlenecks to pass through. I can match them with everything. I have been in this political environment since 2012. I have traversed the nooks and crannies of Anambra State with the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN) that metamorphosed to APC. You can recall I was with them and contested same governorship poll in the party. So, there is nothing to fear. So, it is not zoning that brought me to the poll. Again, each political party should work according to their constitution. Some say they are part of zoning, some said they are not. They should do what they believe in.”

Given the difficulties currently faced by the committee set up to convince aspirants and stakeholders from other zones to give in to the quest of the South, there is fear that PDP may never achieve unity and a single voice during the primaries and the election in November.