Local Government Chairmen in Enugu-West Senatorial District of Enugu State have accusing Senator Ike Ekweremadu, PDP, Enugu-West of being economical with the truth over his position on zoning of Enugu governorship in 2023.

Ekweremadu had while declaring his governorship ambition, last week, challenged proponents of zoning to state when and where such an agreement was ever reached.

However, the five council chairmen from the senatorial district said the agreement was reached at a meeting of the Enugu State Caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on July 7, 2013, which was attended by Ekweremadu.

The chairmen made their position known in a communiqué they issued after a meeting in Udi Local Council of the State.

The communiqué was signed by Mr. Ajah Beneth Ogbonna, Aninri LGA chairman; Mr. Pedro Nwankwo, Awgu LGA chairman: Nze Philip Okoh, Udi LGA chairman: Mr. Chinedu Onyeagba, Oji River LGA chairman; Mr. Chukwudi Ozoelube, Ezeagu LGA chairman; and State Vice Chairman, Association of Local Government of Nigeria, ALGON.

They said: “The Senator was economical with the truth when he said that there has never been any zoning arrangement/agreement in Enugu State regarding the pattern of emergence of the State Governor. He challenged anyone to show him where and when such an agreement was written.”

They spoke as the Forum of Local Government Chairmen of the PDP in Enugu West Senatorial District faulted Ekweremadu’s comments against zoning, declaring their unalloyed support for zoning of the governorship position in Enugu State.

The PDP LG Chairmen took the stand in a communiqué issued after their meeting on Monday by Mr. Okechukwu Aneke (Udi LG Chairman) Mr. Nebo Chukwujekwu Emmanuel (Deputy Chairman, Awgu), Ozor Anayo Chude, (Ezeagu) Hon. Godwin Anekwe, (Oji River) and Hon. Victor Okoro, (Aninri).

The council chairmen, who stated: “We hereby refer him (Ekweremadu) to the press statement and written address presented by Senator Ben Collins Ndu; his immediate predecessor from Enugu West Senatorial District.

“Senator Ndu had during the Ifemelumma Enugu West rally exhibited minutes of the meeting of Enugu State Stakeholders (PDP State Caucus) where this agreement was reaffirmed in 2013.

“Senator Ekweremadu was said to be present in that meeting. We, therefore, throw the challenge back to our senator to first debunk the existing exhibit before throwing a challenge.

“Secondly, Chief Dubem Onyia (former Minister of Foreign Affairs and former Member, House of Representatives) recently made a press statement that independently affirmed that the zoning pattern was reaffirmed in a meeting of Enugu State Stakeholders in 2013 with Senator Ekweremadu in attendance.

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“In the said meeting, it was resolved that Enugu North Senatorial Zone should produce the next Governor in 2015. The minutes of that meeting was shown by Chief Onyia. The motion was adopted unanimously. He said that the motion was further amended by a motion moved by Dr. Charles Egumgbe (Pioneer Chairman of PDP Enugu State and current Commissioner for Chieftaincy Matters) to the effect that the motion should contain where the next governor shall come from after the end of the tenure of 2015 to 2023 and it was also unanimously adopted that Enugu-East Senatorial Zone should take the mantle by 2023. The minutes did not say that our Senator had a dissenting voice.”

“We ask Senator Ekweremadu to come and tell us whether the meeting as quoted by both Senator Ndu and Chief Onyia never held or that he was never present therein. His inability to provide the requested clarification will amount to dishonesty and unnecessary deceit of our people.

“We are aware that even Senator Ekweremadu’s position in the Senate is a product of zoning and the newly elected Councillor of his ward and Chairman of his Local Government Area are all products of zoning.

“As the Chairman of the PDP 2015 post-election review committee, Senator Ekweremadu recommended that PDP lost the presidential election because it abandoned zoning and advised that the zoning principle should be strictly applied at all levels in PDP. We now wonder why the same Senator Ekweremadu is trying to destroy the zoning in Enugu State if it is not for his selfishness and a reflection of a man who practices diabolical double standard.”

They reiterated the support of the people and government of the five LGAs in Enugu West Senatorial District for Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of the State.

On their part, the Forum of Chairmen of the PDP, in Enugu West Senatorial District further said: “Having given such unalloyed and undiluted support to previous Governors of Enugu State even unto their choices of successors, we shall without reservation extend our total support to whoever His Excellency Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi decides to support as his successor come 2023 in line with our long-standing tradition of following our leader to the last second.”

Vanguard News Nigeria