STAKEHOLDRS of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abia North Senatorial zone of the state have rejected the party’s zoning of the governorship ticket to Abia North and Abia Central.

Abia PDP, on Saturday, in a statement Dr. Allwell Asiforo Okere, zoned the party’s ticket to both zones as the current occupant, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, is from Abia South.

“We unanimously and vehemently reject the purported double zoning arrangement. It is an abnormal novelty that has no place in our great party. This is the first time that a position of such importance as the governor’s and/or any other for that matter will be zoned to two senatorial zones.

“This type of zoning is retrogressive, obnoxious, conflict-prone, high-handed, self-centered and disruptive to the system that has been running smoothly for the past 23 years. We see it as a calculated attempt and a manipulative scheme designed to smuggle the leadership’s preferred candidate into the Government House through the back door after the tenure of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu,”the stakeholders said in a statement by Dr. Eme Okoro

Calling on the leadership of the PDP to have a rethink and reverse “the tendentious zoning arrangement that is catastrophic in content” because “this ill-fated construct is capable of causing trouble, disunity and disharmony in Abia State that has remained peaceful through the equitable sharing of power among the three senatorial zones since the return to civil rule in 1999.”

They continued: “We are amused and amazed that the leadership of our great Party could have the temerity to zone the governorship to Abia Central that handed over power to Abia South just seven years ago while Abia North has been waiting patiently for the past 15 years without worries. It is not only laughable but a joke taken too far which no well meaning individual or group will take seriously. Let the right thing be done to save our great Party and State from the devastations that follow misguided policies.

“We see this arrangement as an affront on the good people of Abia North who have always worked hard, sometimes at their own detriment to ensure that power rotates equitably among the three senatorial zones. We view it clearly as a design to deny Abia North the chance of producing the next governor, but we will resist that through all means available.

“We also disagree with the directive asking all the aspirants in Abia North and Abia Central to liaise with the Party for presentation to the State Elders Committee between March 26 and March 30, 2022 because the State Elders Committee has not been formally constituted and therefore does not have the force of law.”