A Community leader from Amuvi in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State, Chief Chukwudi Iheoma, has appealed to the Governor of Abia State, Dr Alex Otti to reciprocate the massive support he got from the five Local Government Areas that made up the Abia North bloc, by allowing the position of the Deputy speaker of the 8th Assembly to Abia North
In an interview with journalists in Umuahia, Chief Iheoma noted that Abia state has enjoyed a system of power sharing balance within the last three administrations in the state, which ensured every senatorial zone is being carried along in each regime.
According to him, the founding fathers of Abia was particular about the power balance arrangement among the three Senatorial zones of Abia North, Abia Central and Abia South, with the intention that the power arrangement at all times be evenly spread across the geopolitical divide.
Giving more emphasis, he said from the current democratic political dispensation in 1999, the former Governor Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, picked his Deputy from Abia South, while the Speaker was from Abia Central and Deputy Speaker from Abia South where the Deputy Governor came from, adding that when power left Abia North to Abia Central with Chief T.A Orji as Governor, he picked his Deputy Governor from Abia South, the Speaker from Abia North while the Deputy Speaker came from Abia South same zone with the Deputy Governor.
“In 2015, power came to Abia South with Dr Okezie Ikpeazu as Governor, he picked his Deputy from Abia North, the Speaker came from Abia Central and Deputy Speaker came from Abia North, again, same zone with the Deputy Governor.
“Flowing from the analysis above, it could be deduced that there exist a deliberate pattern of keeping the position of the Deputy Speaker exactly at the same zone with the Deputy Governor.
“The reason is simple, the Governor is the Head of the Executive and the Speaker the head of the legislature which are two of the three Arms of government. The founding fathers in their wisdom, thought it wise to balance power by allowing both the Deputy Governor and Deputy Speaker to come from same zone”.
Chief Iheoma, however, stated that the analysis should not be taken for granted, canvassing that the deputy speakership of the 8th Assembly should come from Abia North, as the present Deputy Governor, except the present administration wants to betray abia North that supported them massively.
He pleaded that the Governor Alex Otti’s administration should not alter the political trend which has been in existence since 1999, but endeavor to follow the tide to avoid any divide feeling cheated.
