Deltans Lives Matter, a political pressure group, has advocated the convocation of a conference of ethnic nationalities in Delta State where the issue of the zone to produce Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s successor in 2023 would be discussed.
The group is speaking against the backdrop of the ongoing debate on the zoning of the governorship seat whether on a senatorial basis or ethnic basis.
Making the call in Asaba, coordinator of the group, Moses Abeh said no particular zone has the right to always take first in every round if the zoning of the governorship seat is in the interest of Deltans based on good conscience and morality.
Flanked by other members of the group, Abeh opined that any of the zones can start the second round since there was no defined order or sequence in 1999 when Delta Central took the first shot.
“We are not aware of any contestant who stepped down from the contest on the understanding that the governorship had been zoned out to the Central, South or North (we stand to be corrected). So the cheap sentiment that it is the turn of Delta Central now cannot stand.
“At any rate, Delta Central took the first shot previously; it is not mandatory as of right that it must take the first shot again. Our submission on this first option is that “the governorship slot is open to all the zones.
“The zone that took the last shot deserves to begin the next round. The reason is obvious: Delta North waited for 16 years (18 years unofficially, plus two years of Chief Ibru inclusively) to come on board IN the 17th year (19th unofficial year).
“Why must they wait for another 16 years before the next turn gets to them? Last out in the first round should enjoy the benefit of first in the second round. Meaning they should bring their best forward to contest the 2023 governorship election. After all, other zones contested the 2015 and 2019 governorship elections hotly against the so-called turn of the Delta North.
“Virtue they say begins from the middle. Delta South came second in the first round. It is not out of place for it to take the first shot in the second round while Delta North takes the first shot in the third round. In other words, at the close of the third round, each of the three zones would have taken the first shot per round.
“The political class should not expect things to work always in their ways, because the State belongs to us all. We are even tempted to make a stronger case for Delta North that took last to take first in this new round or the Ijaws should produce the next Governor; that seems to us more honest, moral and Godly.
“We are aware of how our Delta Central brothers hotly contested the primaries against Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan in 2006 and Dr Ifeanyi Okowa in 2014.
“Had it been that Dr Uduaghan lost the PDP governorship primary in 2006 to late Senator Pius Ewherido, or Okowa lost the primary to David Edevbie in 2014, will anybody be talking about zoning today?,” he wondered.
Credit: Daily Sun