The people of Isuikwuato District in Abia State have cried out over what they describe as the “unimaginable marginalization, denial and deprivation” of the District in the scheme of things in Abia since the creation of the state in 1991 “especially since the current democracy started in 1999.”

A communique issued by the Isuikwuato District Welfare Association (IDWA) at their general meeting held on January 29, 2022, at Umuahia, the state capital, lamented: “Since the state was created in 1991, we of Isuikwuato District have not been accorded our fair rights in the union: We have never been Governor, Deputy governor, Secretary to the state government, Chief of Staff to the Governor and Speaker of the House of Assembly, as provided in the Charter of Equity.”

The communiqué signed by IDWA Chairman, Navy Capt. CI Osondu (one-time Military Governor of Cross River State), and Secretary, Chief Uzo O. Egbo (PhD), hoped that upon the return of power to Abia North Senatorial Zone in 2023, “all concerned will consent to ceding the chance to the good people of Isuikwuato district, who are the rightful block to produce the next governor of Abia state.”

Below is the communique in full:

We, the people of Isuikwuato District, comprising lsuikwuato and Umunneochi local government areas, rose from their general meeting, held on this 29th day of January, 2022, at Umuahia and resolved as follows:

That we reaffirm our commitment and unalloyed belief in the Abia project and also pledge our continued loyalty to the kinetic government of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu in the state.

We reaffirm our resolve to abide by the terms, letters and spirit of equity, justice and fairness, holding our dear state together, as enunciated and encapsulated in the Abia Charter of Equity. We hold that truth as constant in all situations/circumstances.

We hold that ABIA was created in 1991 on four distinct flanks of Afikpo, Bende, Isuikwuato and Aba hence the acronym A.B.I.A.

We hold that whereas all the contributing blocks, in the Abia project, have had a shot and produced governors of Abia state, at different times, Isuikwuato district is the only block yet to produce a governor.

We hold that since the state was created in 1991, we of Isuikwuato District have not been accorded our fair rights in the union: We have never been Governor, Deputy governor, Secretary to the state government, Chief of Staff to the Governor and Speaker of the House of Assembly, as provided in the Charter of Equity.

That ours have been a case of unimaginable marginalization, denial and deprivation, especially since the current democracy started in 1999.

We hold that Abia was not created on the basis of senatorial zones but on divisions and districts. We therefore believe that it is mischievous of any apologist to make believe that Abia state comprises of only Old Aba and Old Bende divisions, without deferring to the good people of Isuikwuato district who came from the Old Okigwe division, in Imo state, to make up for the population requirement to create Abia, as a state.

We hold on to the fact that our people went on to make serious contributions towards making the creation of Abia state a reality and for which they were recognised and rewarded by adding the letter “I” to reflect lsuikwuato District in the name A.B.I.A.

We hold that our founding fathers, from lsuikwuato District, who made history by making the creation of Abia state possible, contributed greatly to build its notable landmark today. The Abia State University Uturu, which was built by our own retired Gen. Ike Nwachukwu, in the spirit and letters of the Abia Charter of Equity.

We hold that the extant arrangement of power sharing on the basis of senatorial zones, as had been adopted, since 1999, prescribed that power will return to Abia North, as of right, in 2023. And when that happens, all concerned will consent to ceding the chance to the good people of Isuikwuato district, who are the rightful block to produce the next governor of Abia state.

We hold that we are asking to produce a governor of Abia State, from Isuikwuato District extraction, who will govern the entire Abia, to contribute and leave a mark in the even development of the state.

We hold that we have an abundance of eminently qualified men and women, who have distinguished themselves in both public and private service and have served, at all levels, with dignity and integrity.

We hold that the peace and stability of Abia state is sacrosanct and everything must be done to uphold all the indices, which includes equity and mutual respect for her peoples.

Long live Abia State

Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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