PDP Chieftain Blames Zoning Failure for 2023 Abia Governorship Loss
Chief Eme Okoro, a Board of Trustees member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Secretary to the Abia State Government, attributed the party's defeat in the 2023 governorship election to leaders abandoning the zoning formula for rotating political offices.
Speaking on Monday in Umuahia, the state capital, Okoro drew parallels between the PDP's national mishandling of the 2023 presidential ticket—failing to zone it to Southern Nigeria—and similar deviations in Abia State, which he said disrupted party elders' vision for equitable governance.
"I am a foundation member of the party," Okoro stated. "We recognized that the general opinion was to create a party for the people, deriving strength from the people. At the Abia level, we began discussing the Charter of Equity, which simply means passing leadership around so every part of the state gets equal opportunity to benefit.
"It allows people to build the party as it grows, with the people growing alongside it. These principles are key to solidifying political power. PDP flourished for a long time, and there was no basis to fear what happened in Nigeria today. So, PDP lost, and when you lose direction politically, you go into the wilderness."
Addressing his frequent association with Governor Alex Otti of the Labour Party, Okoro praised the governor's pro-people policies since taking office.
"Several years ago, when I met Alex Otti, he sought to become governor under PDP, but it didn't work out then," Okoro explained. "I saw in him someone letting our people know he is pro-people. That's important. In practicing democracy, you must be pro-people. As a democrat, you must follow the wishes and desires of the greater number of people."
The elder statesman urged the Abia State Government to establish a tripartite partnership involving landlords, private investors, and the government to boost large-scale agriculture and combat food insecurity.
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