2023: Group Carpets Ebonyi PDP For Zoning Governorship Position To Abakaliki

A political pressure group, Ebonyi South Youth Congress (ESYC) has criticised the zoning formula for the 2023 governorship election as announced by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State.
The Ebonyi State Chapter of the PDP had during their enlarged stakeholders meeting two weeks ago zoned the 2023 Governorship position of the party to the Abakaliki bloc, which comprises Ebonyi North and Central senatorial zones.
But a statement issued in Abakaliki on Tuesday by the President of Ebonyi South Youth Congress, Mr. Uka Ibom Anya called The youth organization argued that it was wrong for the PDP to zone the 2023 gubernatorial election to two senatorial zones of the State stressing that the concept of Abakaliki Bloc was no longer in existence in the State.
The group called on leaders and Ebonyi people to be vigilant at all times and not to allow agents of confusion to destroy the State by resorting to archaic zoning formulae.
“After an emergency meeting of Ebonyi South Youth Congress(ESYC) held in Abakaliki, today, Monday, 27th September 2021, the following issues were discussed and addressed by the Congress.
“That the attention of  Ebonyi  South Youths Congress has been drawn to the interview granted to some journalists on 23rd September 2021 in Abakaliki by the  Caretaker Chairman of the PDP, Elder Fred Udogu, where he was quoted to have stated that the PDP has zoned the 2023  Governorship seat to Abakaliki bloc, made up of Ebonyi North and Ebonyi Central Senatorial Zones.
“Since we read the news report in the newspapers, we went on to make enquires as to the authenticity of the report. Our finding is that no such decision was taken at any meeting or organ of the party. Maybe, the Caretaker Chairman was merely expressing his personal opinion on the matter and not necessarily the official position of the party.
“We, the members of the Youth Congress reiterate our position that it will be wrong for the PDP to zone the Governorship position to two zones in the state, namely, the Ebonyi North and Ebonyi Central Senatorial zones without considering the fate of Ebonyi South Senatorial district. There is nothing like Abakaliki Bloc or Afikpo Bloc.
“The two blocs existed momentarily after Ebonyi state was created in 1996. On the creation of Ebonyi state, the Abakaliki bloc had six LGAs while the Afikpo bloc had four LGAs. Shortly afterward,  three new LGAs, namely Ebonyi, Ezza North, and Ivo were created and the state was split into three  Senatorial Zones. Anybody talking of two blocs of Abakaliki and Afikpo now is introducing sectionalism into the state”, the statement reads in part.