As scheming mounts for the 2025 governorship election in Anambra State, an All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart, Pope Amaefuna has told the party to respect zoning to ensure victory at the coming poll.
Amaefuna, an ex-officio and founding APC member, said zoning is a proven catalyst for equity and stability in Nigeria’s politics because of its diverse political culture.
“It has become almost impossible to divorce equity and fairness from zoning as they complement each other in the actualisation of a peaceful and progressive society.
“Contrary to the flawed idea that zoning is an APGA invention, it is imperative to clarify and highlight that fact that zoning is a natural law, a universal political principle and a fundamental egalitarian mandate for inclusivity, progressive politicking and equitable leadership.
“Article 20(IV) (e) of the APC CONSTITUTION states that all considerations, rules, regulations and guidelines of our great party must reflect and uphold the principle of equitable rotation of political office and candidacy to reflect zonal spread, balance, fairness and equity.”
He explained further that the politics of Anambra state has enjoyed relative stability, equity and fairness due to the adoption of the zoning principle as major political parties acknowledged the power rotation formula as reflected by the choice of candidates paraded in Anambra elections in the past decade.
“In reality, no argument against power rotation and the relative peace it has brought to most states in Nigeria can stand against informed scrutiny as such argument is antithetical to the sagacity, inherent wisdom and political foresight which informed the drafters of the 1999 constitution and informed the enshrinement of the federal character which is a federal adaptation of the same principle of equitable inclusiveness in the constitution of our homogenous society.
“In our post military political history, the introduction of equity in the governance of Anambra has proven to be the most stabilizing legacy bequeathed on our dear state by our democratic leadership.
“It is therefore a very worrying development for any school of thought, individual, group or political party in Anambra state to openly canvass or suggest for the discontinuation, interruption or truncation of the zoning arrangement which has ensured inclusiveness, fairness, equity, peace and progress in Anambra state. Such aspirations to thwart a working model can never be in the best interest of Anambra state but rather a stark manifestation of dubious, questionable and personal political/economic interests.
“In reality, APC can no longer afford to continue playing opposition politics in Anambra state and all hands must be on deck to ensure a power shift in the 2025 governorship election.
“Considering the disposition of the Anambra electorate, if the APC makes the mistake of failing to field a strong and popular candidate from Anambra south in favour of parading a candidate from any other zone, then it is safe to kiss the governorship aspirations of the party goodbye as the move would truncate the remaining four years tenure of Anambra south. The implication is that a new candidate from any other zone might tentatively lay claims to an eight year tenure instead of four and that is the last thing any right thinking anambarian wants at this epoch.
The APC Chieftain maintained that “the Anambra state APC can only win the 2025 Anambra state governorship election if we can come together and unite to support a strong candidate from Anambra south who has the capacity, structures and personal grassroots’ following to match APGA at the polls.
“Any APC member who is currently crusading for no zoning has been compromised and commissioned to work against the party and such a character (with their executive sponsors) should be considered enemies of the party who are actively working against the party interests.
“It is time to come together, cage the white elephant in the room and make a strong statement in 2025,” he added.