Ahead of the 2023 gubernatorial race in Enugu state, stakeholders in Nkanu East area of the state have embarked on consultation to garner support in order to clinch the plum position alleging “neglect and marginalisation of the area”.
Nkanu East is one the local governments in Enugu East Senatorial District where the number one seat is believed to have been zoned to in 2023. The sustainability of the ingrained zoning formula for Governorship position among the three Senatorial District is believed to be sacrosanct in the state.
The zoning arrangement for Governorship position began with Senator Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu East) from 1999 to 2007, Sullivan Chime (Enugu West) from 2007 to 2015 and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu North) from 2015 to 2023.
It is expected that the first round of the rotation among the three Senatorial Districts would be completed in 2023 and the second stanza returns to Enugu East where it began in 1999.
Led by the former minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji, the people called for support from other parts of the state in their quest to produce the next governor in the spirit of equity and the need to address the marginalisation of the local government area.
The Nkanu East leaders made the plea during their consultation with the former Governor of the state and Senator representing Enugu East in the Senate, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani in Enugu during the weekend.
They stated that Senator Nnamani was deliberately chosen as the first port of call in their consultation and sensitisation visit in recognition of his leadership role in the politics of Nkanu land and Enugu State.
In their various speeches, the delegation argued that since Enugu East Senatorial Zone is favoured by the ingrained and long standing zoning formula in the state, the position of Governor should be further micro zoned and ceded to Nkanu East local government area saying “it had suffered extreme neglect marginalisation in the state”
They described Nkanu East as a vast local government area spanning a large expanse of land that borders on a long stretch of Ebonyi state as well as Aninri, Awgu, Nkanu West, Enugu South, Enugu East and Isi Uzo local government areas adding that “no other local government area in the state has such territorial complexity amid acute infrastructural deficits”.
They said their position is based on justice and precedence and “relying on the ultimate justiciability of the Governor of the state, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi who is known for his kindness and his believe in equity and fairness”.
Responding , Senator Nnamani described Nkanu East’s case for the Governorship slot as compelling, pointing out however that by precedence, it is the Governor of the state that chooses his successor.
He therefore advised them to extend their consultations to other stakeholders across the state, expressing the hope that political leaders in the state and the various communities will be guided by conscience in picking the next governor of the state.
Others in the delegation were a former Deputy Governor of the state, Sunday Onyebuchi, former member of the House of Representatives, Anayo Edeh, former Secretary to the state government, Dr Gabriel Ajah, former council chairman, Ejike Ani, HRH Igwe Abel Nwobodo, HRH, Igwe H. Edeani, HRH Igwe Moses Ideyi and HRH Igwe Okeke Arum among others.
