Following resistance of zoning in the next governorship election in Anambra State coming up next year, the state government is making moves to convene a meeting of traditional rulers to endorse its preference and that of the leadership of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) for the Anambra south senatorial district to produce the next governor.
Sources revealed that since some traditional rulers from the three zones in Anambra State are holding divergent views on the next election, the state government is making plans to select about 30 monarchs from each zone for a meeting, with the instruction to declare that there is zoning and that the South senatorial zone would produce the successor of Governor Willie Obiano.
It was gathered that the proposed meeting being coordinated by a commissioner and a traditional ruler from Anambra North, may hold before the end of the month.
While elements in the ruling APGA in the state are pushing for zoning, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said its governorship ticket is open to aspirants from all three zones in the state and that the best would be selected.
Reacting to the plan to get traditional rulers to endorse zoning for the next election, a pan-Igbo youth organisation, Anambra Ekunie, has accused the Anambra State Government and APGA of intimidating monarchs in the state to support their quest for Anambra South Senatorial District to produce next governor.
The group alleged that the government has threatened to dethrone any traditional rulers who speak against APGA’s zoning of the governorship in the state.
In a statement by its President, Dr. Ifeanyi Achusi, yesterday, the group also alleged that a commissioner has been mandated to enforce the project.
Achusi stated that some traditional rulers in the state, particularly those who had publicly spoken against the purported zoning of the governorship, had been identified for warning and punishment.
The group confirmed that arrangements were on to convene a meeting of traditional rulers in Awka, the state capital; where about 60 traditional rulers representing various zones would be compelled to sign a communiqué endorsing zoning of the governorship to Anambra South.
The group said: “Recall that traditional rulers from Anambra North; had on March 22, this year, declared that they were against zoning just like their counterparts from the Central, but what appeared like a recant on the part of those of them from the North was the handiwork of government.
“Some of those who earlier rejected zoning were tongue-lashed and threatened with the withdrawal of their certificate of recognition and staff of office. We are in touch with them and they are bitter about what is going on.”
A traditional ruler from Anambra north, who preferred anonymity for fear of being punished, confirmed that his colleagues across the zones had been under undue pressure from the State Government in recent times over the zoning issue. Governor Obiano is from Anambra North.
Post Disclaimer
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author and forum participants on this website do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Anaedo Online or official policies of the Anaedo Online.