Ebonyi South Youth Congress (ESYC) has said that the 2023 governorship race of the state should be open to aspirants from any of the three senatorial zones of the state since all three zones have taken their turns as governors of the state.
The Congress, which reached this decision at a meeting, held at Afikpo, Afikpo North LGA Ebonyi State on Monday, September 6, 2021, therefore warned political leaders from Ebonyi South against negotiating away the right of Ebonyi South to be part of the 2023 contest.
In a communiqué endorsed by Uka Ibom Anya, President of the Congress and dated September 9, 2021, the ESYC condemned and rejected a “rumored” plan to exclude Ebonyi South from the governorship race, stressing that “such exclusion is illogical, insensitive, oppressive and unreasonable and should never be contemplated.”
Full text of the statement reads:
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY EBONYI SOUTH YOUTH CONGRESS (ESYC) ON THE ISSUE OF ZONING OF THE 2023 GOVERNORSHIP POSITION IN EBONYI STATE.
After a crucial meeting of the Ebonyi South Youth Congress (ESYC) held at Afikpo, Afikpo North LGA, Ebonyi State on Monday, 6th September, 2021, the following resolutions were made:
- The Youths of Ebonyi South Senatorial District have taken a critical look at the ongoing debate on the 2023 Governorship race in Ebonyi State as to which zone should produce the Governor of Ebonyi State in the post-David Umahi era.
- Ebonyi South Youths have noted that all the three Senatorial Zones have taken their fair share of the Governorship seat, starting from Ebonyi North (Dr. Sam Egwu/1999-2007); Ebonyi Central (Chief Martin Elechi /2007-2015) and Ebonyi South (Engr. David Umahi/2015-2023).
- We affirm that since all the three Zones have had their fair share of the Governorship position, equity demands that the Governorship seat should go to any of the three Zones in the State to re-start the process.
- Ebonyi South Youths Congress hereby condemns and rejects the rumoured plan and intention of some Political Leaders of Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone to sell out the people of Ebonyi South Zone by proposing that the 2023 Governorship Seat should be zoned to Ebonyi North and Ebonyi Central Senatorial Districts, to the utter exclusion of Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone.
- We believe that such exclusion is illogical, insensitive, oppressive and unreasonable and should never be contemplated. We are of the view that the 2023 Governorship position should be thrown open since every Zone has already tasted the position.
- We seize this opportunity to advise and warn the Political Leaders of Ebonyi South in the PDP, APC or any other Political Parties to have it at the back of their minds that they have no right or mandate to negotiate away the legitimate rights of the people of Ebonyi South Zone to contest the 2023 Guber Elections. The Ebonyi South Youths would hold them accountable and will not forgive them if they allow themselves to be swayed by selfish and unreasonable political permutations.
