As intrigues and political activities for the 2023 elections gradually gather momentum, Abia – based Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, have vowed to campaign against any political party that would not honour the power rotation arrangement in the state otherwise known as Abia Charter of Equity.

The groups which addressed newsmen in Umuahia under the auspices of Abia Civil Society Network on Equity and Justice, ACSNEJ, urged political parties to respect the Charter of Equity put in place by the founding fathers in selecting their governorship candidate for 2023.

According to them, any attempt to alter the arrangement will disrupt the prevailing peace in the state, encourage injustice, and engender unnecessary political rancor among the three senatorial zones.

The CSOs argued that since power rotated from Abia North in 1999, and had gone round all three zones, “equity and justice demand that power should return to Abia North in 2023”.

ACSNEJ, in a text jointly signed by Comrade Diaman Ogudike, Convener; and Comrade Nnanna Nwafor; Ambassador Darlington Kalu; Goodluck Ibem; and Comrade Nnamdi Elekwachi, Co-conveners, read at the briefing, expressed support for Abia Charter of Equity.

The CSOs raised alarm over plots by some power hawks to truncate the zoning arrangement, warning of the consequences of such self-centered move.

“The attention of ACSNEJ has been drawn to a thickening plot to perpetuate injustice and political exclusion in Abia State with an unheard-of arrangement aimed at keeping a Zone in office as governor in what could be described as self-succession at best.

“From what is evident within the state polity, including from moves and consultations by some gladiators whose senatorial zones have either previously had a stint or are currently doing their tenure, we are sensing the plot to deny the people of Abia North their turn at the governorship in the state, even when it is their turn, legitimately. This, we wish to state as a coalition, does not present Abia government and her people a win-win situation.

“Those who now champion the cause to keep power to Abians of Ngwa extraction or any other groups within Abia Centra or South challenge the wisdom of great men like Jaja Wachukwu, Michael Okpara, Akanu Ibaiam and other illustrious sons and daughters of the state.

“The essence of sticking to the Abia Equity Charter is to stop people jockeying for power in a Machiavellian way; to end dog eat dog politics; to create a sense of equity and evenness among Abians.

“Those who today want to truncate the already existing peaceful political landscape in Abia are no wiser than the founding fathers.

“We wish to sound this as a warning to all aspirants outside of Abia North to shelve their plans and allow governorship of the state to come to the deserving Zone which in all fairness is Abia North.

“We call on all political parties within the state to ensure that the North-Central-South power-sharing formula be followed come 2023, as anything short of that will amount to injustice which we shall legitimately resist.

“We are disappointed that some persons who enjoyed the support of Abia North to ascend to power are now midwiving the plot to stop the zone from doing its own turn in 2023.

“We call on all the political parties in the state and other well-meaning sons and daughters of the state to resist this move which will only create chaos and enthrone division, hate, and mistrust within the Abia body politics.”