the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in Abia State in 2010, the party
has remained united and peaceful. The party has also witnessed
continuous growth and influx of members from other parties such that
today, the state PDP boasts of a large number of political
heavyweights in the state.
One of the undisputed achievements of the Senator Emma Nwaka- led
executive of Abia PDP is that most of the prominent political
stalwarts in the state who hitherto exchanged missiles from different
political camps are now under the big umbrella, wining and dining
together. It is not also in doubt that the PDP has become the only
visible political party in Abia as other political parties have not
been prominent. In fact, it is a political axiom in Abia that anyone
aspiring for any political office in the state should either pursue
such an ambition on the platform of the PDP or forget such a dream.
Doing so in another party is likened to an exercise in futility and a
waste of resources.
Abia, undoubtedly, ranks as one of the states where the PDP is very
strong in the South-East. The state enjoys a harmonious relationship
with Abuja, a development that has translated into identifiable
developmental projects in the state. Similarly, the efforts of the
PDP-led administration to give the state a face-lift especially in key
sectors such as infrastructure, health, and commerce; as well as human
capital development and youth empowerment have further strengthened
the chances of the party in future elections.
But the oncoming primaries of the party for the 2015 general elections
have posed a major challenge to the unity and peace within its fold.
Many analysts believe that the outcome of the primaries and how the
challenges emanating thereof are managed would be crucial to the
fortunes of the party in 2015. The personality who flies PDP flag in
2015 governorship election in the state will either consolidate or
deplete the gains already recorded by the party. Succinctly put, the
future of the party is hinged on the processes that would produce the
governorship candidate.
A number of factors to watch include the senatorial district of the
candidate, his or her acceptability among the party faithful, the
candidate's popularity among the Abia electorate as well as the
transparency of the process that produces the candidate.
Already, the agitation by the Ukwa/Ngwa political bloc to produce
Abia's next governor is a factor that the PDP cannot afford to ignore
as it selects its candidate for the poll. The political bloc which,
spreads across nine out of the 17 councils in the state is vehement in
its quest to occupy the exalted post. The Ukwa/Ngwa bloc appears set
to sacrifice anything including dumping the PDP, if need be, just to
realise the ambition. Ukwa /Ngwa bloc spans through the entire
Abia-South senatorial zone and half of Abia-Central district.
Both Abia-North and Abia-Central senatorial districts have all had
their fair deal on the seat of power while Abia-South has yet to
occupy the post since the creation of the state in 1991. Orji has,
however, remained unwavering in his position that power must shift to
Ukwa/Ngwa in 2015 in the spirit of equity and justice.
Orji declared in a recent function that, "I am a product of rotation.
If there was no rotation I may not have been governor today. I must
continue with rotation because power moved from Abia-North to
Abia-Central, and must go to Abia-South. It is incumbent on me because
failure to do that will be injustice to myself and my party. Even the
President is also a product of rotation. The states around us are also
clamouring for rotation. It is fair to both God and man."
The governor, however, said that only a competent candidate would be
allowed to fly the PDP flag in 2015, adding that he could not afford
to handover to an incompetent politician. His words: "Whoever will be
governor will naturally come from God, my job is to provide a level
playing field for all contenders."
-PUNCH
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