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…I will not tax suffering people of Ebonyi

By Peter Okutu, Abakaliki

A governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ebonyi State, Dr. Sylvester Ogbaga, weekend explained that the State, since 1999, has always operated the political culture of zoning the Ebonyi Governorship seat among the three senatorial zones of the State.

He added that there was no need to debate the zoning of the 2023 Governorship position as the Ebonyi North zone was next in line to produce the next Governor of the State.

Ogbaga who is the current member representing Abakaliki/ Izzi Federal Constituency at the National Assembly stated this in Abakaliki, while addressing newsmen after picking his nomination form.

He identified zoning arrangement as the beauty of democracy in the State “in Ebonyi State politics, we believe in zoning.

“Ebonyi North, Central have served and now South, it is the turn of Ebonyi North again. Courtesy demands that the North is spending 16 years without Governor, central 8 years without Governor and South still in power.”

He described it as a high level of injustice, inequality and unfairness for anyone from Ebonyi South or Ebonyi central zone to be aspiring to become the next Governor of the State.

“The North demands it is our turn and I am here; nothing will make me to stop pressing to occupy the seat.

“I have listened to the views of the concerned elders from the South and their positions is that it should be zoned to the North, they should not bring two zones together. We are not known for bloc from 1999 till date.

“They said it is not good to bring the two heads together. If you want to zone it to Ebonyi North, zone it to the North, if you are not zoning to Ebonyi North throw it open; though, there have not be any response from the party, but I believe the party has leaders that are tested and trusted, they will just do the right thing at the right time.”

He stated that the leadership of the PDP has agreed that they will constitute a zoning committee, which will zone the governorship position adding that it was the turn of Ebonyi North as they have spent sixteen years without without producing the Governor of the State.

The Governorship aspirant noted that he would create massive economic revolution, peace, employment opportunities as well as an enabling environment where business would thrive and ensure reduction of heavy taxation, if he clinches the position in 2023.

According to him, “I will bring peace to Ebonyi State, it is lacking and everybody knows about it. People die on the daily basis and people are not enjoying it.

“Since 2015, there is no employment in Ebonyi State, graduates are coming up on yearly basis and we need to take care of them, we need to go back to industrialization and employ people who cannot access government into private sectors, thereby creating an enabling environment where business will prosper.

“People are suffering and you don’t need to tax them when they are suffering as many businesses have closed in Ebonyi State.

“We realized that Abakpa market, building material were close down, demolished, traders sacked from the place without any compensation. It is not done in any where, that market was taken from individuals, it is an act of overriding public interest, even if Government should take it for any reason, those people need to be compensated.

“Any property recovered for the purpose of overriding public interest must remain for public interest and not for private use. We need to go into those things.

“Yes, of course we have over head bridges everywhere but the question is, are they all important where they are sited? how many employment opportunities is it giving? is it taking care of the youths?

“In a our University today, we have divine mandate lecturers, we have divine mandate students and we have ASUU, those things did not create employment opportunities, let’s look at the young ones and bring them in a lime light to what is happening in other States.

“Ebonyi State is not in an envelope, it is an open place where we all watch what is happening. I have had time to study the problems of the State, the Governor was able to build some infrastructures but it is not all about infrastructures. We need to be alive to enjoy the infrastructures. Government is a continuity. I don’t think we will allow what the current Government has built to be wasted, because it was built with Ebonyi State money and must be kept alive.”