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ENUGU 2023: X-RAYING EKWEREMADU’S LATEST POLITICAL STRATEGY.

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By Buchi Nnaji

As civilized citizens, it is imperative and part of our responsibilities to weigh up the intent and aspiration of leaders from time to time, especially when their activities become dicey.

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2023 is an election year with peculiarity. Since the return of democracy in 1999, governorship position in Enugu State has been moving rotationally from one zone to another and by the year 2023, one phase of the cycle would be completed, and another phase will commence in the same pattern.

The first phase of the power rotation started with Enugu East District, of which His Excellency, Sen Chimaroke Nnamani governed the state for eight years before handing over to his successor, His Excellency, Sullivan Iheanacho Chime who is from Enugu West senatorial district.

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In 2015, His Excellency Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi took over from Chime as it was the turn of Enugu North zone to mount the saddle of leadership of the state.

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In all these years, despite the challenges from opposition parties, the candidates of People’s Democratic Party, PDP recorded landslide victories during election. This shows that the people of qEnugu State are in unison with the peaceful zoning arrangement of the PDP.

Following the same sequence, at the end of Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s tenure in 2023, it is sacrosanct that Enugu East senatorial zone shall produce the governor that will continue where the incumbent Governor will stop.

However, rumours have been going round that the Senator representing Enugu West senatorial zone in the red chamber, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu in his bid to take what belongs to Enugu East senatorial zone is hatching plans to disrupt the power rotation process that is widely accepted in Enugu State, without taking cognisance that Enugu people are wiser and poised to dislodge him politically if he dare to make such attempt. Power belongs to the People!

It is not only dangerous but treacherous for someone like Sen. Ike Ekweremadu to bite the finger that feed him. Ekweremadu who is a major beneficiary of the principle of power rotation in Enugu State is the least person expected to champion the infelicitous move to thwart the existing zoning arrangement.

Ekweremadu and his ardent followers who are obviously wallowing in political oblivion believe that he has sacrificed a lot for the People’s Democratic Party, PDP and deserve to be compensated with Enugu State governorship ticket come 2023. This is ridiculous.

What the Senator and his cohorts fail to understand is that there are many PDP faithfuls, both big and small who have had equal share, if not more of the sacrifices. In fact, no body has sacrificed for the PDP more than the electorates who risk their lives for many hours, under the scorching sun of election days and threats by political tugs, just to make sure the party win election and remain relevant.

It is high time some leaders stopped taking the common man for granted. Those who have occupied political offices for very long time should in all fairness give way for other younger ones to come up.

Source close to the Aninri born Senator said that Ekweremadu bragged about how he will conveniently secure the 2023 PDP governorship ticket from the national body of the party without stress, but he failed to understand that PDP belongs to her members, and any attempt to impose a candidate on the people of Enugu State will not only be vehemently resisted by the masses but will further tarnish the image and integrity of the opposition party.

The national body of PDP must not make the mistake of soiling the party because of one man’s ambition, especially now that PDP is struggling to restore her past glory and correct the mistakes of the past.

The will of the greater number of party faithfuls who by divine providence have been comfortably supporting power rotation despite the attempts by unscrupulous and greedy individuals to create confusion in the state must be uphold in order to maintain the dignity and strength of the party in Enugu State.

PDP leaders at all levels must not be cowed into believing that Ekweremadu was the only one who stood firm for the party during it’s trying times. Many people at different levels paid the same price, even more. He should be thankful to God for his huge benefits so far.

If Ike Ekweremadu is actually hoping that PDP will use 2023 gubernatorial ticket to compensate him, then he must be dreaming because that expectation will never see the light of the day. Nobody can cajole the people of Enugu State to distort the peaceful clockwise rotation of power in existence.

Moreso, if the Senator feel like displaying his political sagacity, he should channel his interest to vying for the Presidency in 2023 instead of wasting his time and resources chasing shadows in Enugu.

Gone are those days when citizens sit down and watch politicians brandish powers the way they like in attempt to intimidate people and grab what rightfully belong to them, at the expense of public interest.

With all the enormous wealth and fame acquired by Ike Ekweremadu over the years, he should be grateful to Enugu East Senatorial Zone that brought him into political lime light through his political father, Distinguised Senator (Dr.) Chimaroke Nnamani instead of wasting his resources on campaigns against the progress of Enugu State.

Maintaining a political equilibrium that has sustained peace in Enugu State is the hallmark of the governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration and whoever is not ready to follow the same footsteps is a perceived traitor that cannot be trusted with Executive power.

Most times, people are driven by greed and hunger for power to the extent that they do things without thinking properly. The idea of heating up the polity in order to be called for settlement and appeasement is not in the interest of the Enugu State and must be discouraged.

This has been one of the strategies of Sen. Ike Ekweremadu. In 2015, he used the same strategy and it worked for him. Ekweremadu despite knowing that it wasn’t the turn of Enugu West zone to produce the governor, started in his usual style to wander in the dream land, painting images of his inexistent political weight.

Of course, it worked for him then because negotiation ensued and His Excellency, former Gov. Sullivan Chime was robbed of his opportunity to represent the people of Enugu West senatorial zone in the red chamber.

The leaders of PDP must braze up and stop giving in to the manipulation of some politicians who are desperate for power.

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It is the policy of The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine not to endorse or oppose any opinion expressed by a User or Content provided by a User, Contributor, or other independent party. Opinion pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

[wppd_disclaimer title="Disclaimer" title_tag="h3" style="red" icon="fas fa-exclamation-circle" icon_size="sm"]

It is the policy of The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine not to endorse or oppose any opinion expressed by a User or Content provided by a User, Contributor, or other independent party. Opinion pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

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