For fairness, equity and justice to take its full course, Uyo senatorial district come 2023 should be given the chance to produce the next governor with, in particular, Itu/Ibiono Ibom Federal Constituency taking its turn.
Zoning is one of the many formulae used by political parties to resolve problems associated with allocation and distribution of positions and offices among competing interests and groups. This provision brings unity, peace and stability into our political system. Today, there is no political party in Nigeria that has not adopted the idea of zoning.
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One of the ideas used by the PDP to win the governorship in Akwa Ibom State in the past years was zoning. Since then and over years now, we have had the position and among other principal offices rotating to the benefit of all political zones, ensuring socio-political stability in the state.
Uyo Senatorial District was supposed to produce the deputy governor; they took it away from them, because they had no strong political gladiator to speak for them. It is only through the instrumentality of the zoning arrangement that Uyo for 2023 is guaranteed.
The major issue before the people of Uyo Senatorial District now, who are angling for the governorship to return to the zone in 2023, is to make sure they put their house in order and sustain the political arrangement put forward by the forebears to guarantee equity, fairness and justice to all.
But in terms of equity and political considerations, it should be noted that Akwa Ibom State sits on a tripod that consists of Uyo, Ikot Ekpene and Eket Senatorial Districts. From 1999 through 2007, Obong Victor Attah of Uyo Senatorial District served as governor and Senator Godswill Akpabio succeeded him. Akpabio, who hails from Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District was in office from 2007-2015. And Udom Emmanuel will complete the eight years turn for Eket Senatorial District come 2023 on the same political platform. It should be noted that in the interest of stability and harmonious development, Uyo Senatorial District should start again with ITU/Ibiono Federal Constituency taking the lead.
Moving down to Itu/Ibiono Federal Constituency, the 2023 governorship of the state is of their right. If the Zoning is to be jettisoned, that means morally, we don’t have any reason complaining about Nigerian politics.
Equity and justice, whether to majority or minority, has no colour. Itu/Ibiono Ibom people are most qualified because that is the only zone in Uyo Senatorial District that has never tasted such position.
I’m optimistic that the Obong Udo Ekpeyong-led administration will not do anything that would alter the pre-arranged calculations to thwart the aspirations of ITU Local Government Area producing the next Akwa Ibom State governor.
Bernard Titus, Uyo
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