By CHARLES IWUOHA

Former Minister of State for Health, Engr. Fidelis Nwankwo, has urged stakeholders and leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State to obey and implement rotation of governorship which started from North part of the state in 1999.

Ebonyi state is made up of three (3) senatorial zones; North, central and south, and rotation of governorship started from the North Senatorial zone which produced Dr. Sam Egwu as the first civilian Governor; followed by Central Senatorial zone which had Chief Martin Elechi and currently, Egnr. Dave Umahi from the SouthSenatorial zone.

Nwankwo who served as Minister under President Goodluck Jonathan bared his mind while speaking with journalists in Abakaliki on Sunday.

He maintained that Ebonyi was a PDP state, adding that after David Umahi, rotation of the governorship position among the three senatorial zones would be complete.

He, therefore, stressed the need to allow Ebonyi North to produce the next governor, where the zoning commenced in 1999.

He urged stakeholders from other senatorial zones nursing the ambition to contest for governorship in the forthcoming 2023 elections to perish their ambition in obedience to the zoning formula, for the sake of equity, fairness and peace of the state.

The PDP chieftain who equally served as the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has expressed interest to contest for governorship in the 2023 general election.

“Let me talk as it concerns the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where I belong. Some people may argue that the rotation of governorship is not written as a rule in the book of PDP. But, since after 1999, if you observe carefully, you know that it started from Ebonyi North senatorial zone.

“A sequence has been established, and that sequence has to be maintained. Nobody has argued to the contrary with good reasons.

“The first civilian Governor, Sam Egwu, has made it clear on many occasions that it is the turn of Ebonyi North Senatorial Zone to produce the next governor of the state because that's where it all started.

“He was supported by the former Governor Martin Elechi and the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ebonyi State chapter, Rev.Fr. Abraham Nwali.

“The leaders had said that for the peace and unity of the state to be maintained, Ebonyi North should be allowed to produce the next governor of the state. The statement of these notable former governors have not been challenged by any person,” Nwankwo said.

He noted that Ebonyi North has sacrificed much and had waited for the past 16 years, adding that nothing would stop Ebonyi North Senatorial Zone from producing the next governor of the state.

The governorship hopeful called on security agencies to intensify efforts in cracking down hoodlums that may attempt to cause crisis in the three senatorial zones of the state ahead of the 2023 general elections.