A call on the people of Ihiala to stick to zoning formula for elective positions was reechoed in Awka, when the former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Anambra State Road Maintenance Agency, ARMA, Engineer Emeka Okoye , declared his intentions to represent Ihiala Federal Constituency at the Green Chambers.
The Ihiala Local Government Area is divided into four quarters which are Uli ,Amorka, Ihiala, Okija and Ebonesie,
with two state constituencies and one federal constituency.
Uli , Amorka and Ihiala make up Ihiala State Constituency One, while Okija and Ebonesie make up Constituency Two.
Over the years , there was an agreement, for elective positions to be divided in that line which was well accepted by all the quarters.
According to a stakeholder in the community Mr Kenneth Mmaduakor, he personally convened the meeting where the zoning formula was discussed and accepted which specified that the House of Assembly seats would be alternated between the communities that make up the constituency, with the arrangement that each community will stay for eight year tenure before it will be the turn of another community.
Mr Mmaduakor wondered why a community in Ebonesie would want to go for the twelfth year after exhausting their own eight years, not minding that someone from that area had been there for four years before the present dispensation making it twelve years for that community to occupied elective position at a stretch.
On his part, a House of Representatives aspirant from Osumorghu ,in 2015 Chief Linus Mmaduagwu said he was told to allow the incumbent to take the position but with a promise of giving the support in 2019, but said that another aspirant from Osumorghu was also asked to step down for the incumbent, with another promise that 2023 will be the turn of Ndi Osumorghu, noting that he was surprised that people from other communities in Ebonesie are declaring interest as against the brotherly agreement they had.
Other stake holders including the member representing Ihiala one at the state House of Assembly Honourable Chidi Udemmadu who said he is a product of zoning, underscored the importance of zoning as according to him, without zoning, communities like Amorka, Ubuluisiuzo, Osumorghu would not have the opportunity to take any elective position because of their numerical strength.
Earlier while declaring his intentions to represent the people of Ihiala Federal Constituency, Engineer Okoye traced his professional background and how he gannered experience and the wherewithal to give them quality representation.
According to him, time has come for Ndi Ihiala to be known for a particular profession just like Kano is known as the state with highest number of pilots, adding that he already mapped out means of engaging youths of the community in wealth creation apart from the ones he is already doing .
The President General of Osumoghu community Mr Chika Mmuomife noted that his community unanimously selected Engineer Okoye to go for them, as they trusted that he will represent them well and in line with the promise made to him by the king makers that it is the turn of Osumorghu to occupy the position.
Mr Mmuomife called on political leaders in the area to call those who are truncating the micro zoning formula that gave the Osumorghu the opportunity to present their own candidate to order so that they will go to the polls as a united entity and not a divided house .
Also speaking, the Managing Director and chief Executive Officer Anambra Newspaper and Printing Corporation, publishers of National Light Newspaper, Sir Chuka Nnabuife said he decided to step down from his ambition to run for the Ihiala Federal constituency seat because Engineer Emake Okoye is in the race for the zoning interest of Ebonesie quaters, since Osumorghu and Ubuluisiuzor are the only communities that are yet to taste any elective position among the Ebonesie quarters.
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