C'River 2017 LG Election: The Zoning Formula And Yala Perspective

It's no longer a news that Cross River State is set to conduct her Local Government Elections to fill in the vacuums created by the exits of the former Chairmen and Counselors whose tenure elapsed last year (2016) December 15. Rather, what likely seems to be a bone of contention right about now is probably the "Zoning Strategy". Zoning as the case maybe is a strategy which is somehow intentionally applied to give a foreseeing "weak" axis(es) a political sense of belonging and relevance. The strategy is also merely raised to create a platform for equity, justice and fairness for all involved, especially the foreseen weak and marginalized areas to feel elective leadership positions in order for peace and harmony be maintained among the people within the affected area(s).

In Yala LGA, it has two (2) state's constituencies. Constituencies 1 & 11. For the purposes of equity, fairness, good conscience and equitable distribution of elective positions within the area, the leaderships of the council had long a time agreed of swapping the position of who serve the council as Chairman from both constituencies 1 &11.

Good enough, this is the turn of Yala 1 constituency to produce the chairman of the council. Yala constituency 1 has 8 (eight) political wards. Ironically, two of the wards (the Ugaga and O'o wards) are said not yet gazetted at the national level, leaving the remaining wards to 6 (six).

Out of these however, constituency 1 has since been grouped into 3 (three) political blocks. Namely, 1.the Western Yala, 2. the Eastern Yala and 3. the Gabu/Yache axis respectively.

The Gabu/Yache axis comprises Gabu ward and Yache ward respectively. The Eastern Yala comprises of Echumofana ward, Okuku ward and the Ugaga ward (which is yet to be gazetted nationally) according to the available information. In the same vein, the Western Yala has Yahe ward, Okpoma ward and the O'o ward (which is equally yet to be gazetted nationally).

Statistically, based on the records obtained, Okuku ward (Ugaga ward inclusive) has about 28 (twenty eight) polling booths (units) and the Okpoma ward (O'o ward inclusive) has 24 (twenty four) polling units.

Regarding the elective political positions sharing within the identified 3 (three) political blocks as being the order of the day, the Western Yala which comprises Yahe, Okpoma and O'o wards has the following: Yahe ward has benefited as Chairman of the council before. O'o ward has benefited already, leaving Okpoma ward yet to benefit out of the three identified wards that make up that political block in the Western Yala. Incidentally, Okpoma ward has an elective officer who is currently serving as senator representing northern senatorial district of CRS at the national assembly Abuja. Lo and behold, the Gabu/Yache political block which has Gabu ward and Yache ward respectively got the following political shares before and also running. Yache ward has produced chairman of the council before and a Gabu ward person is the one representing Yala constituency 1 at the CRS House of Assembly. Unfortunately, the eastern Yala which has Echumofana ward, Okuku ward and Ugaga ward is not  occupying any elective political office at the moment. It is worthy of note that, out of the three wards that make up the Eastern Yala, only Echumofana ward has produced chairman of the council before leaving Ugaga and Okuku wards yet to produce.

Going by the above valid information as religiously and politically analyzed, it will be 'zoningly' justifiable and politically strategic, and morally beneficial too for the Eastern Yala to produce the chairman of the council as the ethics of zoning takes its course ahead of the Yala LGA election.

Implications: Should the Eastern Yala is not considered now, what will happens if there is a call for meeting of elective political office holders from the identified political blocks in Yala constituency 1? What will be the place of the Eastern Yala in such important meeting that needs high profile serving elective political office holders?

Again, for the Western Yala that has three wards and two out of the three have benefited from the seat of chairmanship position in Yala LGA, and the remaining one (Okpoma ward) has its citizen serving as senator of the federal republic and the Gabu/Yache block which comprises Yache ward that had served the council as elected chairman of the council before and Gabu ward now serving as House of Assembly member, wouldn't it be politically fair, equitably distributed and socially guaranteed for the Eastern Yala with three wards, but only just one out of the wards had benefited before as Chairman of the council leaving the two that have not benefitted to atleast benefit now? Considering the fact that the entire Eastern Yala is currently left without any single elective political office holder serving, isn't it considerably wise, and zoning strategic enough for the chairmanship position be zoned to this vacant political block and the chairman seat shifted to the very ward that has not produce the chairman before, while a more credible, trusted, determined and vibrant individual takes the leadership at the council level and make it Great Again?

Why will some people continue to mesmerize with the sensitivity of the people and makes it look like though there is no credible individual that is capable of transforming the entire LGA for the interest of mankind and the glory of God the Almighty father - who will forever remain our creator just like that?

As one of the upcoming leaders, eventhough I don't consider zoning as pathway to development or prerequisite of getting credible leaders, I feel very justified, eminently qualified, supper trusted and exceptionally prepared to move Yala LGA forward and make it Great Again if elected as Chairman of Yala LGA come June, 2017.

United we stand, divided we fall.