The Political Mathematics Of Zoning In Ebonyi State

‘’When an elephant stands quietly and closes its eyes, the flies and other insects perch around its nose, eyes and ears; It remains motionless and the flies presume the elephant is dead. But when suddenly the elephant turns its head swiftly, onlookers around complain that the elephant is too hard on the insects’’-Anonymous

The above age long statement of fact captures the political momentum in Ebonyi State today. The choruses and verses of political dance lyrics of purveyors of equity and zoning in attempt to steal themselves into relevance at the continuous disadvantage of others, only attempts to provoke avoidable response.

But it would appear to have been resolved or settled argument, that indeed there was, and never has there been, any deliberate political zoning of governorship positions in Ebonyi State since 1999. Rather, there was whether, conscious or unconscious, a kind of pacification of minority groups in the State for peaceful coexistence and inclusivity.

Looking at the trajectory from 1999 when democracy returned to Nigeria, Ebonyi State welcomed the People's Democratic Party (PDP) as an umbrella of Unity and Prosperity. The first primary election of the party produced Chief Andrew Nwankwo followed by Nwagu Onele, Dr. Okoh Isu and Dr. Sam Egwu in that order.

Rather than Andrew Nwankwo or Nwagu Onele flying the flag of the PDP, it was given to the person who came fourth in the primary election, Dr. Sam Egwu. Dr. Okoh Isu from the South was compensated with Deputy Governor for one term. That was the beginning of the distortion of the charter of equity. If the charter was implemented whether signed or not, since the state Capital came to Abakaliki, the Governorship position would have gone to the South or Central as Capital was in the North following the new geopolitical divisions.

Ironically, the North that had the Capital was at the same time allowed to have the Governorship ticket and the minority part of the Zone (One local government) Ohaukwu against three Local Government Areas of Izzi, took it.

After eight years, again, the same intrigues that played out in 1999 and 2003 resurfaced. Consequently, one local government against two in Central Zone was given the governorship slot for eight years. Thereafter, the powers wanted to return to the North, Ebonyi people resisted it and Ebonyi South got the slot. Once again, it was not Afikpo, it was Ohaozara.

Let's consider that the position whether held by minorities or not, were slots for each geopolitical zone. So it has gone round the three geopolitical zones, even though not by deliberate calculation of equity or zoning. But something is very important. State Capital is an item of weight as the State governor. In fact, the value of the State Capital is higher because it is not movable and every Governor must respect and develop it. So those with state capital benefits even more than those who produced the Governor (ask Ikwo people 2007 to 2015).

By this seamless logic, it means that the person who had Governor and State Capital already got two items of equal and higher values in the first round of the distribution, whereas the other zones had just one item of value, the Governor each.

So in the second round of sharing, good logic suggests that those who already had two items ( State Capital and Governor), would wait for those who had one to get two round. In the third round, the person who first got two items would take before others.

This is to say, that, with Ebonyi North having got two items of Governor and State Capital in the first round, the second round of distribution should start with Ebonyi Central for eight years. This is the practical mathematical equation of the Governorship position, that settles the needless debate and distraction among Ebonyians on zoning.

It was Usman Dan Fodio who was reputed to have said that, "Conscience is an open wound which only the truth can heal". Politics must not divide us. EKUMAENYI is One!