By MATTHEW KALU, Umuahia

If indications emerging from the meeting of a socio-cultural group, Ukwa la Ngwa Elders’ Council are anything to go by, the Abia Charter of Equity which seeks equitable power sharing and rotation among the three senatorial zones of the state may be consigned to the dustbin. Reason: The people of Ukwa la Ngwa are insisting that they would hold on to the governorship seat till 2031.

In doing so, they are equally insisting that the governorship position should be zoned to the three Ngwa local governments in Abia Central Senatorial Zone in 2023.

This is contained in the 11-point communiqué issued at the end of the inaugural rotational meeting of Ukwa la Ngwa Elders’ Council held in Isialangwa North Local Government Area on Wednesday.

Members of Abia State Advisory Council, majority of whom are Founding Fathers of the State, have been canvassing for the legalization of the Abia State Charter of Equity, drawn up during the movement for the creation of Abia State, principally to guard against political domination by any of the Old Bende and Old Aba Divisions that were fighting for creation of the state.

But following the excision of some parts of the Old Abia State to Ebonyi State and the gerrymandering of states into three Senatorial Zones, the Abia State Advisory Council has been canvassing for the legalization of the Charter so that power should rotate among the three senatorial zones.

It was on this premise that immediate past Governor of Abia State and current Senator representing Abia Central in the Senate Chambers, Senator Theodore Orji, insisted that power must shift to Abia South which never had a bite at the governorship position since the creation of the state.

However, the Ukwa la Ngwa people are now arguing that since Abia is made up of two different blocs: the Old Aba Division and the Old Bende Division, and the latter having governed the state for unbroken 16 years, the Old Aba Division should rule for equal number of years, for the sake of equity, justice and fairness.

Old Aba Division, also known as Ukwa La Ngwa, is made up of the nine local government areas of Aba-North, Aba-South, Isialangwa-North, Isialangwa-South, Obingwa, Osisioma, Ugwunagbo, Ukwa-East and Ukwa-West.

The communiqué, which was signed by eminent sons of the Old Aba Division, including the Leader of the Ukwa la Ngwa Elders’ Council, Dr Max Nduaguibe, the Deputy Leader, His Excellency, Chief Acho Nwakanma, and representatives of the local government areas, namely, Chief Victor Ubani (Aba-North), Chief Simon Eme (Aba-South) and Rt. Honourable Christopher Enweremadu (Isialangwa-North), Barr. St. Moses Ogbonna (Isialangwa-South), Chief Rowland Nwosu (Obingwa), Hon. K.O. Mgberahuru (Osisioma), Chief Chinwe Nwanganga (Ugwunagbo) and Rt. Honourable Ngozi Ulunwa (Ukwa-West); reads in part:

“The People of Ukwa La Ngwa remain conscious of the indisputable fact and truth that Abia State is basically made up of two different geo-political zones, Old Aba Division and Old Bende Division,

“That the good people of Ukwa La Ngwa, in pursuit of Justice, Equity and Fairness, knowing that the People of Old Bende have governed the State for an unbroken Sixteen Years, 1999 to 2015, unequivocally demand and insist that they will also Govern for Sixteen Consecutive Years, that is from 2015 to 2031.

“That, by virtue of justice, equity and fairness, the People of Ukwa La Ngwa will collectively and ceaselessly work for the democratic enthronement of Abia State Governor of Ukwa La Ngwa Extraction, from any of the Three Ukwa La Ngwa local government areas of Isialangwa-North, Isialangwa-South and Osisioma, otherwise known as Umunne Ato Ngwa in Abia Central Senatorial District, in 2023.”

To achieve this goal, the group is insisting that none of their son, daughter or wife “will dare accept the position of a Governorship Running-Mate in any Political Party for 2023 election.”

The communiqué was issued sequel to a motion moved by the Member representing Ukwa-West State Constituency in Abia State House of Assembly, Hon Goddy Adiele, and seconded by the Member representing Isialangwa-North State Constituency also in the State House of Assembly, Hon Ginger Onwusibe. It was unanimously adopted, added that “all Politicians in Ukwa La Ngwa should endeavour to make sure that whatever Political Party they belong to zones its Governorship Ticket to Umunne Ato Ngwa in Abia Central Senatorial District.”

The group further mandated all people of Ukwa La Ngwa extraction “to do everything democratically possible to make sure that this collective objective of the People of Ukwa La Ngwa is seamlessly concretized and achieved” and also to go about the mission peacefully.

“For the purposes of creating the required sensitization, awareness and consciousness amongst the generality of the People of Ukwa La Ngwa, that the Meetings of Ukwa La Ngwa Elders’ Council will be held in rotation amongst the Nine Local Government Areas of Ukwa La Ngwa,” the communiqué added.

The people used the forum to praise their son and Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, for what they described as his unrivalled performance since the creation of the state, despite attempts to distract him since his emergence in 2015 through a multiplicity of litigations against him at various election tribunals.

While passing a vote of implicit confidence on the Governor, the group assured him that the People of Ukwa La Ngwa would remain solidly behind him and always give him maximum support for the continuous success of his administration.

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