The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) in Anambra State are at each other’s jugular over the rotation of the state’s governorship seat.
Chairman of APGA in the state, Nobert Obi, while appraising the council tours of the party yesterday in Awka, said the party’s insistence on powershift to Anambra South was hinged on its position in the build-up to the 2017 gubernatorial election.
Obi pointed out that adherence to the powershift principle was in the interest of equity, justice and fairness, stressing that it was selfish and hypocritical for certain people who canvass zoning the country’s presidency to oppose zoning in Anambra.
He recalled that almost all the parties in the 2017 gubernatorial election picked their candidates from Anambra North, as the zone was yet to produce the governor.
But the PRP governorship candidate, Chief Nnamdi Nwawuo, rejected the much-touted rotational arrangement in November 6, 2021 election, saying that power should remain in Anambra North after the tenure of Governor Willie Obiano.
Nwawuo, a traditional priest-turned-politician from Nando in Anambra East Council, told The Guardian that his quest to succeed Obiano was to ensure that Anambra North produced a second governor like the other zones that had at least three governors.
According to him, powershift limits the political space and shuts out the most competent.
“Anambra State has passed the politics of mediocrity inherent in powershift arrangement,” he stressed after emerging the party’s candidate yesterday.
Arguing that Anambra Central produced Dr. Chris Ngige (two years, 10 months) and Peter Obi (eight years) while Anambra South had Chukwuemeka Ezeife (one year, 11 months), Chinwoke Mbadiunuju (four years), Virgy Etiaba (four months) and Andy Uba (17 days) served a total of six years and 17 days, Nwawuo insisted that Anambra North should be allowed to produce another governor after Obiano’s tenure in 2022.
The PRP candidate observed that the 2021 gubernatorial race was not about money politics, but service to the down-trodden, stressing that his administration would consolidate on the good works started by Obiano.
According to him, as a grassroots politician, he is better equipped to know the needs of the rural dwellers.
Nwawuo told Anambra people that his decision to go with PRP was borne out of his will to redeem the state in accordance with the name of the party, adding that the founding fathers of the party left a legacy worthy of emulation.
