The National Leadership of People’s Democratic Party PDP has be given 7 days ultimatum by the Ebonyi State House of Assembly to zone the Presidential position of the party to South East.
According to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Francis Nwifuru while talking to journalists in Abakaliki, said that It is only appropriate in the spirit of democracy, equity, justice and fairness that the position of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come 2023, be zoned to the South East.
According to him “on this note, we are giving our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), 7 days ultimatum to convocate the National Executive Committee of the party and zone the position of the Presidency to the South East Nigeria, especially as INEC has officially announced the date of the presidential elections”.
“Failure to adhere to these kind requests will cost our party heavily and we, the Honourable Members of the 6th Ebonyi State House of Assembly will leave no stone unturned in taking decisive actions to ensure that traditions and dividends of democracy are respected in our party”.
“Equally, the party should not contemplate to remove the National Chairman of the Party, Prince Uche Secundus as it is customary that the zone (South) from where the National Chairman comes from produces the Presidential Candidate of the Party. If this advise is not adhered to, it will further divide and destabilize the party along sectional and regional lines”.
We the Honourable Members of the sixth (6th) Ebonyi State House of Assembly, wish to draw the attention of our great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to the rightful yearning of our industrious and peace-loving people of the South East Nigeria, that the position of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come 29th May, 2023, be zoned to the South East”.
The Speaker stated that the zone has presidential personalities, people who are globally renowned, reliable, acceptable, tested and trusted to the position of President of Nigeria.
“These personalities having discharged their duties efficiently and effectively in the positions held before now, they are eminently qualified to be President come 2023.
“Some of the personalities includes, Persons like Peter Obi (Former PDP Vice Presidential Candidate in the 2019 elections and former Governor of Anambra State), Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim (former Senate President and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation)”.
“Others include Sen. Ike Ekweremmadu (former 3-time Deputy President of the Senate), Sen. Theodore Orji (former Governor of Abia State), Achike Udenwa (former governor of Imo State) and a host of others”.
“So we have qualified people who are very much available for this position. We did not mention our Governors not because they are not qualified but these highly qualified persons are not holding positions currently and there are other eminent qualified Igbo leaders as well who are trusted, competent, capable and reliable”.
The Speaker stated that they are not asking for what the zone does not have, so our party should not turn this request down.
On the rumored defection of the members of the State House of Assembly to the All Progressives Congress APC, Rt. Hon Nwifuru said that they are not defecting to any political party adding that the issue of defection has not arisen.
“The unity of our beloved country, Nigeria, has always been hinged on the principles of equity, justice and fairness. It is on such conventional wisdom that the country has striven to grow and develop equally across all her geopolitical zones”.
The Speaker further stated that since the inception of the present democracy, the zone has paid its dues having worked assiduously and massively voted for all the presidential candidates of our great party – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“when the people of the South West in the year 1999 and 2003, the people of North West in 2007, the people of South South in 2011 and 2015, the people of the North East in 2019, all contested for Presidency. It is on record that since the inception of democracy in this country, from 1999 till date, the five (5) States of the South East have always delivered the presidential candidates of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), 100 per cent”.
It was gathered that 23 out of 24 members were present except the Deputy Speaker who is out of the country
