Traditional rulers of all communities in Anambra Central Senatorial District of Anambra State, yesterday, declared that they did not support the zoning arrangement being canvassed by few politicians for the 2021 governorship poll.
The monarchs, at the end of their meeting held at the palace of Igwe Peter Uyanwa, traditional ruler of Ukwulu community in Dunukofia Local Government Area, said it was undemocratic to bar other aspirants on the basis of zoning.
This came about four months after their counterparts in Anambra North also kicked against zoning arrangement saying if allowed to stand, it would create confusion which its implications may negatively affect the growth and development of the state in the long run.
The latest resolution was reached after a meeting which had major political stakeholders from the zone was convened to review and respond to the debate and calls for zoning by some politicians.
Aside the politicians who had argued for zoning, traditional rulers of Anambra South led by the monarch of Nnewi, Igwe Nwafor Orizu, recently rose from a meeting with calls on politicians in the state from other zones to pave way for their Southern senatorial zone to produce Governor Willie Obiano’s successor.
Igwe Orizu and his colleagues asked that both Anambra Central and Anambra North withdraw from the governorship race to enable their zone produce the next governor.
But responding to the call, traditional and political leaders of Anambra Central made it clear that they were not support zoning as it is undemocratic. They said Ndi Anambra would prefer to have a credible and competent governor who has the capacity to deliver good governance as it is more important than zoning.
The monarchs stressed that zoning ended with the incumbent administration as every zone of the state had taken turns to lead Anambra since 1999.
A statement issued after the meeting and signed by Igwe Uyanwa read: “At the meeting of the Anambra Central Traditional Rulers Forum held on 2nd July 2020, it was unanimously resolved that we dissociate ourselves from any zoning arrangement in Anambra State gubernatorial election.
“That we in the Central Forum will only accept and encourage any credible governorship candidate that is ready, willing and capable of delivering the dividend of democracy to Ndi Anambra.”
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