— Threaten severe sanction against any aspirant from Abia North ready to accept Deputy Governor.

As the agitation for power intensifies ahead of the 2023 polls, President Generals (PGs) of Autonomous Communities in Abia North Senatorial District, and their counterparts from Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency, have endorsed power shift to Abia North.

Wawa News Global reported that this was the outcome of the extraordinary meeting of the Abia State Association of Town Unions held Friday at Bende Town Hall.

The PGs, in a communique issued after the massively-attended meeting, held that “for the sake of justice and equity and in line with the Abia Charter of Equity, the governorship should rotate back to Abia North in 2023”.

This is coming barely 48 hours after major political stakeholders from Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency openly declared their support for power shift to Abia North come 2023, with a warning that nobody should truncate the prevailing zoning arrangement in the state.

Former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Charles Ogbonna, who spoke for the Ikwuano/ Umuahia stakeholders, avowed their total support for Abia Charter of Equity.

At the Bende summit, the PGs urged all political parties in the state to cede their governoship slot to Abia North, threatening that any party that fails to heed the advice will be rejected at the polls.

They also threatened to ostracize any Abia North son or daughter that accepts the position of a running mate to any governorship aspirant or candidate at the election.

The PGs urged Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, to “as a product of equity, openly support the rotation of Governorship to Abia North in 2023 for the preservation of his legacies and the interest of peace and stability of the state”.

The 10-point communique read in part: “all political parties in Nigeria are advised to pick their Governorship candidate from only Abia North Senatorial Zone. Failure to do so will have electoral consequences for them.

“That no Abia North son or daughter should accept the position of Deputy Governorship or Director-General of campaign organization for any candidate outside Abia North for the purposes of the 2023 Governorship election.

Severe sanctions, including ostracization, await anyone who subverts this patriotic advice.

“That those Elders from both Abia Central and Abia South who signed some documents for Abia North seeking their support for their sons in 2007 and 2015, in exchange for Abia North to produce the governor in 2023 should speak up and affirm their commitment.

“That any attempt to deny Abia North the Governorship in 2023 is a direct threat to the peace and stability of the state.”

The communique was signed by Mike Onwuchekwa for Arochukwu Local Government Area; Chief Benjamin Emeri, Ohafia LGA; Comrade Benson Echendu, Isuikwuato LGA; Chief Jerry Onyemaechi, Umuahia North; Sunday Udeh, Ikwuano; Chief Napoleon Umesi, Umuahia South; and Chief Orji Idika, Bende LGA.