by Hon. (Chief) Fidel Okafor,
Awka, June, 2024.
As the 2025 governorship election approaches, the issue of zoning of governorship position in Anambra State, once again, though unexpectedly, appears to be on the front burner, especially in Anambra North senatorial zone.
Most people would wonder why it has to be so, barely four years after the North zone relinquished the post to the South zone based on the rotational principle. It therefore, becomes necessary to address the issue frontally with some level of sincerity, hoping at settling matter once and for all in the best interest of our dear state Anambra.
Actually, zoning is not yet, in the constitution of Nigeria even though, the federal character principle which is clearly contained in the constitution, is a replica of, or a pointer to, the doctrine of zoning, in a sense.
Zoning of offices, which is widely practiced in many states of Nigeria is an attempt to give every part of the whole state, a sense of belonging and also guarantee equitable distribution of opportunities and resources acrossthe entire state. In many states in this country, zoning is really working and working well, whereby certain critical positions are made to get to the different parts of the state, but, in some states, it is yet to be perfectly consolidated.
In Anambra State for instance, one can rightly say that zoning has come to stay in spite of some skirmishes that are occasionally witnessed each time the governorship election comes around. Its important to know that zoning is not an exclusive reserve of partisan politicians, rather it is the entire populace that decides whether to vote according to the zoning principle or not.
Looking back into the evolution of zoning in Anambra state, we can trace this zoning to willful and coordinated agitations by Anambra North people prior to the second tenure election of the then governor of the state – His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi (CON) – in 2009.
Some years prior to the governorship election of 2009, the people of Anambra North formed different political and socio cultural pressure groups across the different divides of the zone, all clamoring for the zoning of the governorship position in the state among the three senatorial zones. To them, the North had not tasted the seat of governor in Anambra State and may not be able to do so unless there was zoning. Several meetings were held at different venues from Nteje, to Umunya; Onitsha to Otuocha and so on, all aimed at pressuring the frontline contestants into accepting to support the rotation of the office such that by the following election, someone from Anambra North would become the governor of the state. They actually succeeded in making each of the major candidates in that 2009 governorship election to promise that he would hand over to Anambra North if he was elected. Obi who was candidate for APGA promised that after his second tenure, he would support the rotation to Anambra North. Soludo who was candidate for PDP also promised that if he became the governor, he would support Anambra North to succeed him after one tenure. Ngige for ACN, Andy for LP, Ukachukwu for HDP and so on, all made such promises to the North senatorial zone at that time. At last, Mr. Peter Obi won the election which ushered him into his second tenure. When eventually he served out his double tenure of eight years, Mr Obi conscientiously fulfilled the promise, not only by endorsing and fully supporting a candidate from Anambra North, but he also went about to vigorously convince both the opinion leaders and the voting public in Anambra State to support the zoning in the interest of justice and equity.
That was how Chief Willie Obiano became the first son of Anambra North to emerge as governor-elect in November 2013, and was sworn-in in March 2014 as the Governor of Anambra state from Anambra North senatorial zone.
Suffice it to say that in that 2013 governorship election, all the major political parties had aspirants from across all the zones of the state because most people were doubtful about the success of the zoning principle as at then. After party primaries, it was only APGA (Obiano) and PDP (Tony Nwoye) that gave their tickets to candidates from Anambra North senatorial zone. Most other parties fielded people from either Central or South senatorial zones in that election defying the zoning being championed by the then governor. Some stubbornly argued that the zoning was just an APGA thing.
The election, at last became a clear manifestation of the acceptance of zoning as preached by the then governor Mr Peter Obi, and thereupon, the generality of the people of Anambra state voted massively in favor of North senatorial zone for the sake of justice and equity.
Then again, during former Gov. Obiano’s second tenure election in 2017, almost all serious political parties gave their tickets to candidates from Anambra North senatorial zone except a few, and at last, Obiano (North zone) won and completed his eight years of double tenure.
Thereafter, the zoning of the office of governor in Anambra State moved to South senatorial zone in 2021 by which time, over 90% of ndi Anambra had settled for zoning and faced the South senatorial zone. The only candidate from outside Anambra South in that election, who ran on the platform of an unpopular party got humiliated by the result of the election which was massively won by Prof. Soludo of APGA from the South zone.
From the foregoing, it became very clear and unambiguous that zoning had come to stay in Anambra State. Every segment of the society has obviously imbibed the zoning principle in Anambra State as shown in voting patterns across the state.
Having gone this far in this state, it goes without saying that, 2025 is exclusively for Anambra South senatorial zone to complete their eight years on the seat, and anybody from Anambra North and Anambra Central who is nursing any ambition of running for governor of Anambra state in 2025 is just doing so at his own peril. Nobody should take the voting public for granted because they already understand the zoning principle and how it goes.
Rascality and lawlessness do not pay, and those who support it for pecuniary reasons are shooting themselves on the foot because it will definitely fail. Ndi Anambra North especially, being the proponents of zoning in the state should apply wisdom and remember that our leaders who fought for this zoning in the first place, did so because they rightly saw zoning as the easiest way our people can equally access that exalted office of governor in the state. Remember also that when it was being thrown open for the survival of the fittest, we never tasted it. The south had occupied it before now because they could get through personal struggles. Central had also gotten the position before through personal struggles. Some of our people have tried before but couldn’t get it by personal struggles. So why can’t we understand that our leaders who worked tirelessly to achieve zoning actually did something better for our zone?
My good people of Anambra North senatorial zone, we should be the ones working hard to safeguard this principle of rotation or zoning of the office of governor in Anambra State, rather than destroying what our leaders struggled to achieve. It doesn’t make any sense that barely four years of our brother Obiano’s handing over to Soludo, that someone from the same Anambra North will be in the political field telling ndi Anambra to vote for him; and thinking that the people of Anambra state will do that in such a quick succession.
Let’s wise up, shun this political myopism and egocentricism, and support the right zone so that whenever it becomes our turn, other zones will find reason to allow us and support us.
As it is the rotation should be thus:
North —> South —> Central —> North ‐–> South —> Central et.c.
I strongly believe that if we respect the zoning and allow South and Central to take their turns, by the time it rotates back to us, every other zone will definitely support candidates from Anambra North senatorial zone.
Hon. Chief Fidel Okafor
(Owelle Anam)
Former Executive Chairman Anambra East LGA.
Former Political Adviser to the Governor of Anambra State.
©️ Awka, 25th June, 2024.
