A socio-cultural group, Association of Ebonyi State Indigenes in the Diaspora (AESID) on Sunday said competence and credibility will determine who emerge the next governor of the State and not zoning.
To this end, the group implored the people of the state to subject the records of all governorship aspirants to proper scrutiny, with a view to identifing the candidate with plans and programmes that can address the prevailing challenges facing the state.
A statement by the President, Ambassador Paschal Oluchukwu in Abuja urged the people to avoid “paid political permutators, jobbers and hatchets men from misleading, misdirecting or misinforming them”, insisting that only a credible and competent leader would take-over the baton as Governor David Nweze Umahi’s successor.”
Apparently reacting to a move to micro-zone the governoship slot to Izhi clan in the state, the group frowned at the attempt and vow to resist it, arguing that credibility and competence will be the determining factors of Gov. Umahi’s successor in 2023.
The statement read: “First, AESID wishes to implore every Ebonyian and lover our dear State to seek out in any intending aspirant or candidate is COMPETENCE and CREDIBILITY which would ultimately translate into such a leader’s capacity to reverse the numerous growing negative statistics and economic woes that the current government of Umahi has brought upon our dear State.
“Apart from the incontrovertible fact that there has never been a time when the rest of the zones in the State allowed only aspirants and candidates from a particular part of the State to seek the Governorship office in keeping with the so-called unwritten charter of equity, power only comes from above and it is never given but taken.
“We, as a group has variously raised the alarm over the rising poverty in the State which has placed us in a woeful third position among the 36 States of the federation and whoever wish to succeed Umahi must not only be worried about this ugly trend but have the feasible prognosis to proffer credible solutions to them.
“It is our firm believe that the economic prosperity of Ebonyi people is more important than the antiquated zoning of political positions that would not afford us to put our best foot forward as Umahi’s successor in 2023. More so, our people will not elect any leader who has shown manifest greed and looting of previously or presently occupied public office, neither would we encourage them to support anyone hanging on the shoulders of any leader who has vaults in his massive country-home wherein he’s been saving looted public funds.
“Only people with records of genuine love and peace for all Ebonyians who have not shown manifest discriminations should be supported and elected into office in 2023.”
Anjola Folajimi
