The Legal Adviser to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Ebonyi State, Barrister Mudi Erhenede, has called on Stakeholders and Leaders of the party to convoke a Conference on Zoning of the Governorship seat in the State geared towards eliminating rancour and acrimony among party faithful.
Barr. Erhenede made the assertion in Afikpo the Headquarters of Afikpo North Local Government Area during an interactive forum with Journalists on the party preparedness and other political activities in the State ahead of the 2023 general election.
He called on Leaders and Stakeholders of PDP to convoke a meeting as quickly as possible where stakeholders would agree on zoning arrangements to be adopted during elections.
“Let the leaders come and say we are doing bloc. If we say it is the turn of Abakaliki bloc, the implication is that anybody from North and Central zone is free to participate if we are are not saying this and we say we are doing zoning, the party should define which zone should take now in PDP.
“The question should be asked and answered whether we are going to do zoning going by the three components units of the state which is North, Central and South or are we doing Blocs because as it stands today, I am not against anybody who wants to be Governor, I will support anybody that my party produces as its Flagbearer.
“During the end of Dr. Sam Egwu administration in 2007, we argued that Power should rotate to Afikpo Bloc since Egwu was of Abakaliki Bloc, but Egwu advised that the State should go by a zonal arrangement comprising North, Central and South and he handed over Power to Central zone.
“Zoning is a product of convenience, equity, need to be your keeper, these are the things that gave birth to zoning, the closest thing to zoning in our constitution is Federal Character Principle.
“I think we have reached a point where we are almost becoming slaves to zoning, integrity, competence, qualification, capacity and every other thing that should come first are being sacrificed on the altar of zoning.
“Now the three zones have enjoyed power, people are now talking of Blocs, there is no time we met to say power will now rotate between Abakaliki and Afikpo Bloc, my worry is that somebody somewhere is either running away from doing the needful or trying to cut corners.”
He opined, “If PDP cannot convoke a meeting and make a clear pronouncement on whether in Ebonyi State we are now doing blocs, that is, Afikpo or Abakaliki, or zonal arrangement where this things will be sorted out, outside this two situations, I am of the view that everybody who has capacity and thinks he could run for Governorship and win should be allowed to participate irrespective of which zone you are from.”
He condemned the State Government passage of the Cybercrime (Prohibition) Law of Ebonyi State 2021 describing it as dangerous, undemocratic, and a biggest assault on democracy.
“Section 8 of the Cybercrime Law says that the Police cannot prosecute anybody on account of any infringement of this Law without the Written Consent of the Attorney General,” adding that the law was made to witch-hunt and intimidate PDP members.
Speaking against the backdrop of the Operations of Ebubeagu Security Outfit in the State, Barrister Erhenede described the outfit as anti-democratic and an infringement on the Rights and privileges of the people.