Nsukka people commend Chime
People of Enugu North Senatorial Zone, made up of people from Nsukka cultural zone, have praised the Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Sullivan Chime, over his recent categorical declaration that it was the turn of the people from Nsukka to produce the next governor of the state in 2015.
People of Enugu State has operated an unwritten a tacit agreement on power rotation since the creation of the state in 1991.
The state which votes overwhelmingly for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has followed the rotation principle in the close to 14 years of the current republic.
A statement issued in Enugu on behalf of the people of Nsukka by Chief Maxi Okuta said Governor Chime had demonstrated that he remained a man of honour.
Okuta was reacting to the just concluded Town Hall meeting held in the capital city of Enugu, where Chime had told excited stakeholders of the state and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that going by an internal arrangement of the PDP, it was the turn of Nsukka to produce the next governorship candidate of the party in the forthcoming 2015 governorship elections.
There have been apprehensions that the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who is rumored to nurse ambition for the governorship post of his native Enugu State could bring his clout to bear in torpedoing the arrangement which has run since 1991, when an Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, from Nsukka cultural zone became the first civilian governor of the state. Though he was there for only two years it was counted as a turn for the people of Nsukka.
Ekweremadu denied such ambition during interaction with the media last week.
Okuta who had convened series of meetings of the people of Nsukka to sensitise the various segments- the intelligentsia, business community and political leaders from the area, traced the indelible contribution of late Igwe Charles Abangwu towards the struggle.
He recalled that late Igwe Abangwu had the vision when he brought together all the traditional rulers of old Nsukka Zone and the entire Enugu State to rally support for Governor Chime, insisting that the governor had an assailable second term in office.
He said it was a master-stroke by Igwe Abangwu because he supported a people's governor, whose second tenure has turned out to be an unquantifiable blessing to the entire people of the state.
'My people are overjoyed, ' Chief Okuta, explained ' that the governor has kept this covenant and has shown that he is indeed a man of honour. Indeed a statesman, who keeps his word.'
He also commended the governor for his avowed stance of supporting the creation of Adada State as one of the additional states to be created in Igboland.
Okuta emphasised that Adada State Movement, one of the oldest and suitably qualified both in land mass, mineral and human resources, had always topped the list of states agitation and ably positioned to be self sustaining, peaceful, and area noted for its homogeneity and a food basket of the nation.