Member representing Umuahia East in the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon Chukwudi Apugo has argued that power in Abia State should go to the old Aba Division based on the Abia Charter of Equity,
Apugo’s statement supports the advocacy of the Ukwa La Ngwa that the Old Aba Division needs to occupy the seat of the governor to close the gap of 18 years versus eight years between the Old Bende Division and Old Aba Division.
He explained that governors from the Old Bende Division are Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Senator Theodore Orji. Kalu and Orji served for eight years and Onu for two years. Dr Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, now in his seventh year, is the only one so far from the old Aba Division.
The lawmaker who is from the renowned Apugo political family of Umuahia stated this in an interview with Vanguard newspaper:
He said, “If you look at the agitation for power from the senatorial zone point of view, you say it should return to Abia North where it started in 2019. But if you look at it with the lens of Charter of Equity, it should go to Aba Division to complete their balance of 16 years that Old Bende was in power.”
He told Vanguard newspaper that fairness and equity demand that the power shift favours Old Aba Division.
Apugo chastised political leaders and elders of the state who were “economical with the truth” in contesting the claim of the Ukwa La Ngwa to the governorship.
The Assemblyman said that retaining power in Abia Central is just and follows the practice established by the first governor of Abia State in the Fourth Republic, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.
Apugo added, “The two Divisions that makeup Abia are Old Bende and Aba divisions. When the former Governor, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, finished his second tenure in 2007, he gave power to his brother, Senator Theodore Orji, from the same Old Bende but Abia Central.
“When Senator Orji finished in 2015, he gave power to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu in Abia South (Old Aba Division). Then, as Ikpeazu will be finishing in 2023, I feel that his body language is that he will also look for his brother from the Old Aba Division to balance the political equilibrium.
“People should know that Abia Central is a donation of three Local Government Areas each from Old Bende and Aba Divisions. The remainders then became Abia North and Abia South because each state should have three senatorial zones.
“So, if Ikpeazu supports his brother in Old Aba Division to succeed him, it won’t be strange. He will only be doing what Orji Uzor Kalu did.”
