While Cross Riverians are eagerly waiting for the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission, (CROSIEC) to roll out the time table for the forthcoming council elections in the State, it has become highly imperative to commend His Excellency, Senator Prince Bassey Otu for the swift constitution and inauguration of the electoral body.
Majority of the critical stakeholders across board who are desirous of seeing the dawn of elected representatives at the local government level have all commended the Governor’s decision while appealing for equity, fairness, and justice in the choice of candidates for the election.
A case study is Yala LGA where the Chairmanship position has been mutually agreed by the Yala, Ukelle, Yache and Gabu leaders of thought since 2006 to be rotating amongst the five political blocks of South Ukelle, Yache/Gabu, North Ukelle, Yala East and Yala West respectively. Whereas capable aspirants could be found in the five components as listed above, equity demands that political units should also eschew political dominance and undue advantage over one another.
In the charter of equity which I intend to objectively demonstrate with proven statistics and empirical antecedents, South Ukelle is the most suited part of the five blocks in the council area to produce the next Yala Chairmanship candidate in the current dispensation.
In 2006, Yala LGA stakeholders in an enlarged meeting presided over by Dr Ogana Lukpata unanimously agreed that for purposes of political convenience, growth and development, the Council Chairmanship should rotate between Yala 1 and 2 constituencies respectively. They went further to break Yala into five political blocks namely:
1) South Ukelle
2) Yache/Gabu
3) North Ukelle
4) Yala East
5) Yala West.
In the order above, South Ukelle became the first beneficiary with Barr. Fidel Egoro from Mfuma/Ntrigom Ward emerging as Council Chairman between 2007-2010 while Rt. Hon. Mom Olom from the same ward was a member of the State House of Assembly. At the end of Egoro’s tenure as Executive Chairman, the zoning went back to Yala 1 Constituency where Yache/Gabu block enjoyed it with Hon Gabe Ugor as Council Chairman between 2011-2013. Thereafter, it was zoned to Yala 2 with the emergence of Hon Mike Usibe from North Ukelle as Chairman between 2013- 2016, with Rt. Hon. Ogana Lukpata from the same block in the State House of Assembly. Between 2020-2023, the zoning went back to Yala 1 where Barr Fabian O Ogbeche from Yala East emerged as Chairman.
This division of Yala into blocks has been the sole reason for the peaceful coexistence since 2006. And it is worthy of note and quite commendable that none of the five blocks has breached this mutual agreement since 2006. For the purposes of fairness, justice and equity, since the zoning circle is naturally returning back to Yala 2, it therefore means that South Ukelle block should enjoy it now irrespective of the fact that the House of Assembly is currently in South Ukelle. This is because a peaceful precedence have overtime taken place without any contention. It will be a travesty of the existing mutual agreement and very very unjustifiable for any political block to introduce a fresh contention to the zoning formula because we cannot shift the goal post at the middle of match.
Majority of the political and traditional leaders, the masses are not happy with the ongoing political scheming of North Ukelle who after benefitting from zoning is turning around to repudiate the entrenched zoning arrangement in Yala local government simply because of political avarice.
Since equity demands that it is the turn of South Ukelle to produce the next Council Chairman, Ijiraga Ward should be considered first because it has not produced even a chairman, since 2006 when the rotation took effect. Ijiraga Ward have that micro-zoning benefit in the general South Ukelle because of the above.
While appealing to Yala Stakeholders to remain steadfast in adherence to equity which will enthrone justice, security and progress, I like to charge all contrary opinion holders to surrender to fairness and accept the existing mutual verdict which has been producing the previous Council Chairmen in Yala local government area.
However, if we want to agree to this shenanigan, it therefore means we want to jettison zoning which promotes equity and fairness, encourages representation of diverse interests, reduces conflict, supports power rotation, enhances inclusivity, fosters development, respects agreements, encourages unity, reduces electoral violence, and promotes democratic principles.
By adhering to zoning in the next local government elections, we would have contributed to a more inclusive, equitable and peaceful democratic process without shortchanging the people of South Ukelle, particularly Ijiraga Ward.
However, I strongly believe that Governor Otu who himself is a product of zoning will not jettison zoning to the detriment of the good people of South Ukelle.
I wish all of us a Happy September to Remember!
Ogar Solomon Ogar , FSLC,
September 1, 2024
