Abia PDP says 2023 loss stemmed from leaders ignoring zoning rules, with Chief Okoro urging pro-people policies and equitable leadership rotation.
Abia PDP has attributed its 2023 governorship election loss to the failure of party leaders to uphold the zoning formula designed to rotate political offices equitably across the state.
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Chief Eme Okoro, a Board of Trustees member and former Secretary to the Abia State Government, spoke on Monday in Umuahia, emphasising that both the national and state party disregarded agreed principles, undermining smooth governance.
Okoro, a founding member of the Abia PDP, said the Charter of Equity, aimed at giving every part of the state a fair opportunity to participate in leadership, was neglected. “We began at Abia level to talk about the Charter of Equity.
The Charter simply says let’s pass this around so that every part of our state gets the same or equal opportunity to benefit from leadership,” he explained.
He noted that just as the PDP failed to zone the 2023 presidential ticket to a candidate from Southern Nigeria, similar mistakes were repeated at the state level. “PDP lost, and when you lose direction politically, you go into the wilderness,” Okoro added.
On his association with Governor Alex Otti, Okoro praised the governor as a pro-people leader whose policies since assuming office reflect democratic principles. “When you practice democracy, you must be pro-people.
And if you follow democratic principles, you’ll go by the wishes and desires of a greater number of people,” he said.
Okoro also urged the Abia State Government to establish a tripartite arrangement involving landlords, private investors, and government to boost large-scale agriculture and tackle food insecurity in the state.
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The Abia PDP elder statesman’s comments underscore a focus on equity, inclusivity, and pro-people governance as the foundation for the party’s future revival in the state.
