https://saharareporters.com/2022/03/15/2023-desperate-install-stooge-governor-enugu-government-cabal-bribes-lawmakers-n5m-each

The issue of zoning, not development programmes of aspirants, has been a major issue in the build-up to the 2023 general elections.

BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORKMAR 15, 2022

The battle for the Enugu State Government House, the Lion Building, has assumed a new dimension as members of the State House of Assembly are reportedly being bribed by a cabal in the state government to say that there is a subsisting governorship zoning arrangement in the state.

The issue of zoning, not development programmes of aspirants, has been a major issue in the build-up to the 2023 general elections.

Whereas some of the state's political leaders like a former governor, Okwesilieze Nwodo, claim there is a zoning arrangement, which favours Enugu East senatorial zone, another former governor, Sullivan Chime had in a November 23, 2018 interview with a newspaper (not SaharaReporters), dismissed such as a fallacy.

"In 2013, when we were holding a town hall meeting in Nike Lake Hotel, one journalist asked that since I was leaving office, which zone will succeed me as governor. When Chimaroke Nnamani became governor, it wasn’t zoned to Nkanu, he won against somebody from the West, even in his re-election bid. When I contested, it was free for everybody, people from the North, from the East, from the West, the same thing during my re-election. Then I said fate had made it that the East had done their two terms, myself in the second term at the time, I said it will only be fair that we take it to the North to reduce tensions and I promised to work towards it. That was how it happened. We zoned it to the North, not that there was any agreement; it was common sense to reduce problems. I was the leader and I took that decision," he had said.

Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who hails from Enugu West zone, had at the weekend declared his intention to vie for the governorship election, saying there was never a zoning agreement in the state 

He said he headed Chimaroke Nnamani's campaign organisation in 1998/1999 and knew that there was no time they discussed succession order noting, however, that the good thing was that power had rotated around the three senatorial districts.

“Whoever is talking about zoning has interest and candidates that they want to put in power.

“Besides, I don’t want to be a zonal governor, but the governor of the entire people of Enugu State,” he said.

However, reliable sources said there are plans to launch a media campaign to push the narrative that there is a zoning arrangement for the governorship position in the state.

One of the sources, a member of the State House of Assembly from Enugu North revealed: "We were summoned up today (Monday) at the Majority Leader's (Hon. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu's) house to sign a document prepared for House Members and LGA Council Chairmen of our (Enugu North) zone to the effect that there is zoning. 

"They will be publishing it soon. They are paying each lawmaker N5 million to sign the document." 

Another lawmaker who confirmed the situation said, "Unfortunately, we thought by now all aspirants should be encouraged to table their programmes on how to end insecurity in Enugu State. There is no water anywhere in the state. The unemployment rate is very high and we're being harassed by our constituents."

SaharaReporters also learnt from sources that the state government is moving to zone governorship to Enugu East to rule former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu out of the race. 

It was learnt that Ekweremadu is a dominant force in Enugu West and some prominent people in government, including the state governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi. 

"You know Ekweremadu was the Deputy Senate President and is serving his fifth term in the Senate. He is a powerbroker in the state and was also instrumental to the emergence of Governor Ugwuanyi. The idea is to cut his wings," another source said. 

Calls put across by SaharaReporters to the leader of the House, Ezeugwu Ikechukwu were not answered nor returned. He also did not reply to a text message sent to him.

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