A body of concerned Abia Youths of Abia North extraction under the auspices of Abia North Youth Agenda (ANYA), has on Saturday, called on the Executive Governor of the state, His Excellency, Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, PhD, to apply wisdom in handling the pressing question of power rotation anchored on the principles of “Charter of Equity”, arguing that it has remained the most respected and sacred foundation that kept the state at relative peace since her creation over 3 decades ago.

This call was contained in a communique issued at the end of their emergency stakeholders meeting in Umuahia to jaw-jaw over recent developments in the political realities of Abia State towards 2023. The group reasoned that as a product of this gentlemanly arrangement, which Dr Ikpeazu is, it will be unpatriotic for him to jettison the foundation that will unite Abians to pursue personal ambition without recourse to the possible effect of such actions on the general peace of Abia State that has been entrusted into his hands since 2015.

According to the leaders of the group whose signatories include Hon. Udoeze Agwu Kalu, Coordinator, Hon. Uche Iroha, Secretary, and Comr Jeff Okafor, PRO, it will be detrimental and counterproductive for the successor of OVI to emerge from any zone other than Abia North Senatorial Zone of the State after his tenure, even as his predecessors had worked on this principle to maintain peace, unity, equity and political balance at all times.

The Communique read, inter alias;

“As a result of permutations that the Abia Central Senatorial Bloc of Abia State, or otherwise, is nursing the ambition of taking power in 2023 in clear contradiction and destruction of the tripod that has kept Abia peaceful. Especially, considering the stronger runour that the incumbent governor may somehow be buying into this erroneous ideology. It has become incumbent on us to warn against actions that may destroy many things we hold dear as one family in God’s Own State.

“The only thing that can guarantee continued peace in Abia State beyond 2023 is the maintenance of “Abia Charter of Equity” which brought Dr Victor Ukpeazu to power in 2015 from nowhere. It was in consideration of this same principle that Senator Orji Uzor Kalu chose Senator Theodore Orji from Abia Central as his successor. Therefore, it will be a slap on the faces, and eroding of the collective sense and dignity of all sons and daughters from the 5 L.G.As that make up Abia North to believe that no sons or daughters of this zone are qualified enough to take the mantle of power, except another man from another zone other than Abia North. This is a systematic effort to plant seeds of discord, disunity and chaos in Abia State by a man that should uphold peace and tranquillity.

“We must not live in the past to suit our inordinate ambitions. Any argument on the pedestal of Old Aba and Old Bende Blocs is deceptive, incoherent and is aimed at creating discord in the Abia polity. Let such persons be reminded that the said Old Aba and Old Bende Blocs happened when Afikpo was still part of Abia State. For the avoidance of doubt, A-B-I-A stands for ABA, BENDE, ISUIKWATO and AFIKPO, it was based on the “Abia Charter of Equity” that Dr Ogbonnaya Onu from Afikpo Zone emerged as the first governor of Abia state before Afikpo was carved into Ebonyi State to pave way for Senatorial Blocs of Abia Central, Abia North and Abia South.
If in 1999 the governorship position started from Abia North, rotated to Abia Central and settled in Abia South, the most natural thing to do is to return it to Abia North for another spin, therefore, any opinion to the contrary is ill-advised and such persons hate Abia State.
“Before you can argue based on Old Aba and Old Bende Blocs, bring back Afikpo Bloc or return us to Regional settings where those blocs existed.

“We, therefore, state, without equivocation, that it is unacceptable to us that power should remain in Abia South or go to Abia Central after the tenure of Dr Okezie Ikpeazu. We call on him to use his good conscience to support the emergence of a qualified governor from among the sea of qualified, educated, fulfilled and capable hands from Abia North as anything beyond that will not only breed bad blood, but will also make PDP to lose credibility and the goodwill it has enjoyed in the state.

“We are lovers of peace, we cherish the peace in Abia State, we must uphold the principles of Charter of Equity handed over to Dr Ikpeazu. We are of the strong belief that he will not pass the road and defecate it for those that will come after him.

“We are the youths of 5 Abia North L.G.As of Arochukwu, Bende, Isuikwuato, Ohafia and Umunochi. We must not be taken for granted because we are lovers of peace, equity and tranquillity.

“ALL EYES OPEN” – A.N.Y.A.