Fatshimetrie, a revolutionary virtual platform, recently organized a meeting in Awka on Wednesday, June 19, chaired by Chief Innocent Obi. During this meeting, the forum warned against any attempt to disrupt the zoning agreement, highlighting the risks involved.
This assembly, bringing together elders from the 21 local constituencies, underlined that robust and continuous grassroots mobilization was underway in anticipation of the next elections, thus giving confidence in the party’s preparation.
Chief Obi stressed that the forum was actively addressing issues that could compromise the electoral process.
The elders strongly supported the idea that the zoning of governance in Anambra South should be respected.
“For me, an agreement is an agreement, whether it is written or not. There is already a system in place in Anambra State. Anyone who denies this is not telling the truth. As elders, we must tell it like it is.
“An arrangement is already in place. In the 2022 election, the party that claimed zoning was meaningless has suffered the consequences. They suffered because the candidate who competed under their banner was not from the place where that position should have gone.
“Whatever decision our party takes, the elders must abide by it because we are under their authority.
“An arrangement is already in place, if the party touches it, there will be nothing the elders can do. But we hope that the party will not touch these arrangements already in place. We believe that those who have had their turn should make way for others.
“The elders would be delighted if the candidate came from the South. In my opinion, the South has already had four years, and it deserves four more years,” he concluded.
How Peter Obi influenced zoning in Anambra
One of the elders, Mr. Okey Chukwuogo, also spoke, saying the zoning started with the former governor of the state, Mr. Peter Obi.
He noted that Obi introduced the zoning agreement to all stakeholders in the state, including municipal unions and traditional rulers, all of whom had endorsed the system.
By becoming an influential voice in the field of political zoning in Anambra, Peter Obi helped establish norms and principles that helped ensure fair and democratic representation in the region.
This meeting in Awka served as a reminder of the importance of respecting past agreements and established political traditions, thereby laying the foundations of stable and inclusive governance for the future of the state.