By CHARLES IWUOHA

As controversies continue over the vexed issue of the zoning of governorship position in Enugu State, a coalition of Enugu West Youth Organizations has cautioned against further attack on the former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

News Express reports that there has been verbal war among some interested parties in Enugu State ahead of the 2023 governorship election.

While some say it is the turn of the Enugu East Senatorial zone to produce the next governor, others say it could go to any of the zones, since the slot has gone round.

The development has since been generating controversies, with feelings that Ekweremadu, from Enugu West Senatorial zone, was eyeing the state’s number one position.

Rising from their meeting, the Youth Coalition in a communique signed by Comrade Onyeabochukwu Christian, the Coordinator and Comrade Izunna Umeokeke, the Secretary, said Ekweremadu should not be dragged into unnecessary controversy as power belongs to God.

They said they had viewed with dismay and grave concern “the current social media campaigns of calumny, malicious and vicious attacks on our elected and appointed leaders by certain individuals who apparently have been recruited by faceless persons within the state to do this hatchet job. These attacks have become unrelenting and developing in disturbing dimensions in the past few months.”

The group further said: “As a body we have keenly followed the activities of these misguided individuals from Enugu-West, most especially neither from Awgu Local Government Area casting aspersions on the frontline leaders of Enugu-West with neither cause their actions nor reason their guide.

“As a responsible group, we can no longer fold our arms and pretend that all is well; while some miscreants continue to batter the good image and reputations of our revered leaders notably His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Rt. Hon Toby Okechukwu and Rt. Hon Denis Oguerinwa Amadi.

“We are persuaded that these gentlemen and others have eminently distinguished themselves among their equals at the National Assembly and in the State.

“Distinguished Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, Rt. Hon. Toby Okechukwu and Rt. Hon. Dennis Oguerinwa Amadi, without doubt, are among the finest parliamentarians in the annals of Nigeria’s legislature, and the facts of their excellence are there for all to see.”

They added that “in view of the quality representation that has been witnessed in Enugu west senatorial zone since 2003 till date, it is safe to state clearly that our National Assembly representatives have done so well and they deserve our respect, support, prayers and commendation to enable them do more.

“We will deploy all means within the ambits of civilised sensibilities to stop the galling character assassination of our leaders by some hirelings. We are not unaware of the fact that those fanning the embers of discord in Enugu-West have the blessings of highly placed individuals outside Enugu-West.

“The vexed issue of zoning or who governs Enugu State in 2023 is in the hands of God bearing in mind that power comes from God. However, it is not the business of any Enugu-West person to decide who governs Enugu state in faraway 2023 in terms of suggesting that it is not the turn of Enugu-West. When that time comes the leaders of Enugu State will decide what happens.

“Specifically, we demand an immediate stop to the incessant spate of character assassination of our leaders. Not even Enugu-East Senatorial Zone has been this agitated by the fever of zoning.

“We wish to extend our warm gratitude to Papa Enugu, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Gburugburu), the Executive Governor of Enugu State for the cordial relationship between him and our National Assembly members.

“We want His Excellency to remind those bad eggs trying to cause confusion between him and our National Assembly members that Enugu State PDP is one indivisible family that cannot be divided by mere political propaganda aimed at scoring cheap political goals.”

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