LG Election: Adhere To Existing Zoning System- Calabar Municipal Stakeholders Insists
By Ekanem Asuquo
Political actors across the major political parties in Calabar Municipality have stated categorically that the rotational zoning prevalent in the metropolis since the return of democratic rule in 1999 remains sacrocant and must be adhered to by all political parties in fielding candidates for the forthcoming local government elections.
Findings by The Nigerian Chronicle revealed that Calabar Municipality, comprising a total of 10 wards after the Calabar South was carved out was divided into two political zones with five ward per zone by stakeholders decades ago.
The move was concieved by political forbears to ensure equity, fairness and inclusiveness with regards to the two elective political offices in the metropolitan city, namely the Local Government Chairmanship and House of Assembly slots.
The arrangement, formated traceable to 1999 has witnessed seamless rotation of the two elective offices between the two zones,a development that has promoted peaceful and harmonious coexistence between the two political blocs irrespective of diverse ethnic colouration.
Speaking with our reporter, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress,APC, who is a former local government counsellor and two times House of Assembly member, Rt Hon Efa Esua said" The zoning arrangement is sacrosanct and must be respected by all stakeholders for communal benefits.
"In his words:" Our rotational zoning is intact and can never be sacrificed on the altar of greed or bloated ambition. In 1999,Zone One produced the Council's Chairman in the person of Late Ntufam Edet Okon Asim who was from Ward one ,while Zone Two had Hon Christopher Ekpo from Ward 10 as the Assembly member.
When the pendulum swing in 2003-2007. Zone 2 took over the Council with Elder Wiley Okokon as Chairman,while Zone 1 had Ntufam Eta Mbora in the House of Assembly from Ward 1.
"Rt Hon Eta Mbora took over the at the Council and did two terms while Rt Hon Uduak Akiba from Ward 9,Zone Two equally served two terms. Ntufam Donatus Etim from Ward 7 took over as the Chairman while I, from Ward 3, was elected into the House of Assembly where I did two terms Ndabo Nta Efeffiong became the Council's Chairman to balance the equation.
Presently,our House of Assembly member, Hon Stanley Nsemo is from Ward 6, which falls in Zone 2, common sense and natural justice entails that Zone 1 produces the next Council's Chairman.
Commenting, the state Deputy Publicity Secretary of the People Democratic Party, PDP, Paul Agbor stated that" The zoning arrangement has evolved from the perspective of a gentleman's aggrement into a communal doctrine of necessities for fairness and equity.
"It's incumbent on all critical stakeholders in the political arena to ensure it's not only respected but supercede ulterior selfish interest.
