The contest for power, especially political power, is a very serious business. This is why almost
everything is put into the fight to have it. Power for political office, as in any other thing, is
fought for, not given on a platter of gold.
If anybody sits down and waits for another person to give him power without hassles, that will be wasting
one’s time. The consequences of handing over power to another results in just one thing – the
introduction, or in the case of Anambra State, reintroduction of god-fatherism.
I have looked at the Anambra situation vis-à-vis the quest by the state’s northern senatorial zone to
produce a governor through the principle of zoning. Truly, I sympathize with the good people of Anambra
North senatorial zone. However, in a true democratic set up, there is no room for the zoning of public
offices because it is the votes of the people that determine the outcome of elections. In other words, it is
the collective votes of Anambra people, from the North, Central and South senatorial zones that will
determine who occupies Government House in Awka in March 2014.
From the record of his performance, the soon to exit governor, Peter Obi, has not done well. The high
impression people from outside Anambra State have about his performance in office, easily disappears
when people visit the state. It is painful to note that Peter Obi is not the performer that media reportage
has made him to be. Moreover, his role in the imposition of his former banker crony, Willy Obiano, on
APGA and Anambra people, is one of the very reasons that the elites in Anambra are angry, and ready to
reject APGA in the November 16, 2013 governorship poll.
I am on ground in Anambra State and I know that this is a beautiful state to reside in. Of course, the
place should have been more beautiful if Governor Obi had used the opportunity extended to him to
transform the state. Unfortunately for Obi, people seem to have resolved not to allow his surrogate to be
their governor from March 17, 2014. The simple reason for the posture of the people here is that Peter
Obi has failed to transform Anambra State, as well as growing the economy for the empowerment of the
citizenry.
People are aware that the November 16, 2013 governorship election is a contest, and that in a contest,
there is no room for such sentimental attachment to the principle of zoning, which is what such remark
that Anambra North has not produced a governor and should therefore be allowed to take a slot simply
comes to. We are in a democratic dispensation where the people are expected to decide who should lead
them. Permit me to stress that as the Labour Party candidate has always insisted, “In this one man, one
vote exercise, our votes must count.”
Nobody is going to take the Anambra electorate for granted this time around. There are some very good
signals already in public domain suggesting that the zoning principle will play no role in the determination
of the outcome of the governorship election in Anambra State.
The major problem and challenge facing Anambra today is the fundamental issue of developing the state
socio-economically. Anambra State has been in a state of arrested development, inertia and stagnation.
The state has fared badly in all ramifications of developmentleadership. This is the formidable challenge
which resolution must inspire anybody who wants to contest the November 16 governorship election, as
a way of serving the people of Anambra State if he wins.
In other words, the demonstrated capacity to reverse the downward trend in the development trajectory
of Anambra State is what should be uppermost in the minds of the electorate as we approach November
16, and not where the candidates in the election come from.
In reality, the three senatorial zones of the North, Central and South in Anambra State, are typically
marginalized in terms of socio-economic development. What is needed in all those aspiring to lead
Anambra State after Peter Obi is the capacity to transform the state through rapid industrialization
programs and equitable provisions of infrastructure. The ability and competence to achieve this feat is
not a factor of zoning. The leadership quality needed to address the developmental challenges of Anambra
State today rests squarely on the objective assessment of the problems on ground, and the capacity to
perform effectively in office as governor.
From the foregoing, even the Anambra North people seem to have realized that the choice of a person to
represent them should be their own to make because such a person will ultimately be accountable, in line
with the democratic best practices, to them; and not to a man who will soon leave office and is trying to
foist a stooge or puppet as governor.
Undoubtedly, Mr. Peter Obi has succeeded in creating some problems with his “the next governor must
come from Anambra North,” mantra. However, the people of Anambra State seem set to prove to the
world that a mere political expression masquerading as the “the zoning principle”, that is already stirring
animosities amongst brothers, will not be allowed to determine the occupant of Government House, Awka, in March 2014.

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/opinion/zoning-anambra/

Beautiful piece, my opinion 100% and why APGA must not be voted. Peter Obi is a cancer to ndi Anambra. very corny being

The high impression people from outside Anambra State have about his performance in office, easily disappears when people visit the state. It is painful to note that Peter Obi is not the performer that media reportage has made him to be. Moreover, his role in the imposition of his former banker crony, Willy Obiano, on APGA and Anambra people, is one of the very reasons that the elites in Anambra are angry, and ready to reject APGA in the November 16, 2013 governorship poll.

^
nuff said. why wont people have high impression of Obi's govt outside Anambra when he has a million media agents on his payroll. Take a look at nairaland for instance. When its all said and done, theordore orji of Abia is faaaar better than Peter Obi.

No single objectivity in the write-up.

The candidates have emerged. Let the votes count. simple!

People emerge in politics based on various sentiments you either accept or you don't

I personally believe in zoning. even if ngige wins; when he is done the issue will still come up.

I'm not from anambra state. for me let the best man win.

If APGA wants to zone their candidacy why should that be a problem for others?

vote who you want, unless you feel APGA will win irrespective of their candidate.

^
your comment is the one that lacked objectivity, you are not from Anambra, we don't do zoning in Anambra, every true Anambra person will identify with the article. it is not for people like you stuck in the stone age with primitive thinking to advice us.

FreeGlobe: ^
your comment is the one that lacked objectivity, you are not from Anambra, we don't do zoning in Anambra, every true Anambra person will identify with the article. it is not for people like you stuck in the stone age with primitive thinking to advice us.

Look, I don't do the kind of political analysis folks on this forum engage in.

You said Anambra, don't do zoning, but APGA has zoned its candidacy to the north. should that be a problem for APC? why engage in mudslinging?
we understand you want ngige; but some don't. any problem with that? even if ngige wins. can some one from his local government succeed him? you should know that answer.

APGA has zoned, that shouldn't be a problem for APC.

I maintain, their is no objectivity in the above write-up.sentiments aside. At least from a neutral observer.

^
Can't you reason, Peter Obi brought the zoning mantra because he wanted to foist his stooge after calculating he's from the area and went on to promote the zoning mantra like a state policy. Nobody cared about zoning in Anambra before now. APGA never zoned before now. why can't you understand this simple scenario.

FreeGlobe: ^
Can't you reason, Peter Obi brought the zoning mantra because he wanted to foist his stooge after calculating he's from the area and went on to promote the zoning mantra like a state policy. Nobody cared about zoning in Anambra before now. APGA never zoned before now. why can't you understand this simple scenario.

Are you saying that people from that zone never wanted to produce a governor for the state? you mean people from the zone don't have interest in governance? did the people from the zone object the idea? besides they would have said OK, let another person other that Obiano run for the position. but they accepted and supported him. I mean if indeed he is a stooge the people from anmbra north can replace him with another. or are you saying the zone don't have other credible persons?

Do not be deceived, every leader is interested in who succeeds him . fact. so don't tell me Obi should not be interested in who succeeds him. It's normal.

Now Some one has emerged . If you don't like him disgrace him at the polls. SIMPLE. You don't like zoning Vote for those who didn't do zoning. SIMPLE.(we all know there is zoning every where in nigeria)

Please I don't want to go back and forth on this. besides I'm not from the state.

Peace.

^
you shouldn't be making these frivolous arguments then since you are not from the state. Yes every zone wants to produce governor but they must work for it through a formidable candidate and not wait on a governor to promise then that for his selfish interest. And Anambra North did NOT produce Obiano, Peter Obi single-handedly did, so what's the zoning? We don't do zoning in Anambra, there was no zoning agreement before other zones got power. We don't want Peter to foist another failure in the state through deceit. Again why is it hard for you to understand this?

Because of his deviour behaviour and atrocities,i envisage him ending in jail if NGIGE wins....

good piece.
captures my views exactly and i hope ndi anambra will shame peter obi in november

I read dis piece on sun newspaper today and i told my very good friend that this will be posted on Nairaland by Freeglobe and lo and behold here it is dis evening.
Freeglobe!, Rochas and Ngige ran to APC with belief that its the only platform that will give igbos a shot at the presidency, cos they feel we are marginalised! so is Anambra north now, moreover like everybody says there is NO ZONING arrangement in Anambra , but APGA decided that it will be fair to give North the position cos they ve not produced any before.

^
Seun I need to change my Id, I'm giving some people nightmares. Ha!

Zoning didn't work in Imo that's why Rochas is the governor. He was voted for because of his major achievements in education and philanthropy. The same can happen in Anambra too. Zoning or no zoning, Ngige is the right choice for Anambra.

Can't wait to see how you guys will hide and bow your heads in same come Nov 16. Ngige ko, Okija juju no. bunch of clowns

FreeGlobe: ^
you shouldn't be making these frivolous arguments then since you are not from the state. Yes every zone wants to produce governor but they must work for it through a formidable candidate and not wait on a governor to promise then that for his selfish interest. And Anambra North did NOT produce Obiano, Peter Obi single-handedly did, so what's the zoning? We don't do zoning in Anambra, there was no zoning agreement before other zones got power. We don't want Peter to foist another failure in the state through deceit. Again why is it hard for you to understand this?

^
Already accepting defeat?
Hohohohohohohohoho
Bros, APGA is just a political party and not Anambra State. They are entitled to have their own ideology wether APC or people from Anambra state want it or not.
You chose Apc because they don't do godfatherism and zoning, lucky for you! We cared not.

duality:

Are you saying that people from that zone never wanted to produce a governor for the state? you mean people from the zone don't have interest in governance? did the people from the zone object the idea? besides they would have said OK, let another person other that Obiano run for the position. but they accepted and supported him. I mean if indeed he is a stooge the people from anmbra north can replace him with another. or are you saying the zone don't have other credible persons?

Do not be deceived, every leader is interested in who succeeds him . fact. so don't tell me Obi should not be interested in who succeeds him. It's normal.

Now Some one has emerged . If you don't like him disgrace him at the polls. SIMPLE. You don't like zoning Vote for those who didn't do zoning. SIMPLE.(we all know there is zoning every where in nigeria)

Please I don't want to go back and forth on this. besides I'm not from the state.

Peace.

Duality: No single objectivity in the write-up.

The candidates have emerged. Let the votes count. simple!

People emerge in politics based on various sentiments you either accept or you don't

I personally believe in zoning. even if ngige wins; when he is done the issue will still come up.

I'm not from anambra state. for me let the best man win.

If APGA wants to zone their candidacy why should that be a problem for others?

vote who you want, unless you feel APGA will win irrespective of their candidate.

duality:

Look, I don't do the kind of political analysis folks on this forum engage in.

You said Anambra, don't do zoning, but APGA has zoned its candidacy to the north. should that be a problem for APC? why engage in mudslinging?
we understand you want ngige; but some don't. any problem with that? even if ngige wins. can some one from his local government succeed him? you should know that answer.

APGA has zoned, that shouldn't be a problem for APC.

I maintain, their is no objectivity in the above write-up.sentiments aside. At least from a neutral observer.

Nuff said