End Zoning in Anambra, It Has Bred Mediocrity, Says Elder Statesman — Warns Against Gutter-Language Campaigns

By Our Correspondent

A former Commissioner for Information in Anambra State, Chief Joe-Martin Uzodike, has called for an end to zoning in the state’s governorship politics, describing the practice as “a breeding ground for mediocrity.”

In a statement titled “Anambra Election: Enough of the Absurd” issued in Awka on Monday, Uzodike also berated candidates and their supporters for what he described as a “steady degeneration” in the quality of political conversations ahead of the November 8, 2025 governorship poll.

He specifically cautioned the camps of Governor Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Senator Uche Ekwunife of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the use of “uncouth, inflammatory and asinine language,” which he said was desecrating the state’s political culture.

According to him, Anambra had never witnessed such a torrent of mudslinging — ranging from allegations of certificate forgery, marital infidelity, DNA disputes and even “the mental exhumation of the dead.”

“In my 72 years of existence and more than 46 years of active involvement in politics, I have not seen the display of the absurd in electioneering as has been the case in Anambra presently,” Uzodike lamented.

“Anambra has never had a time when the privacy and dignity of families of our politicians are hung on the lines and sun-dried in the marketplace.”

The elder statesman warned that politicians and their media handlers were creating a negative image of the state, which was “rubbing off on every Anambra son and daughter anywhere in the world.”

He added that such vitriolic exchanges were coming at a time when the state should be focusing on insecurity, dwindling food production, erosion, and the welfare of citizens.

Uzodike urged political actors to “rein in their media handlers,” many of whom, he said , had proved “unprofessional, unethical and unable to manage their principals.”

On zoning, the former commissioner said the arrangement had outlived its usefulness.

“Zoning was introduced by Mr. Peter Obi and was accepted by many. It has not only led to complacency but has engendered negative competition among brothers of the same zone.

“Anambraa should forget zoning and elect the best to preside over us, not those who merely think it is their turn.”

He maintained that the people of Anambra were sophisticated enough to choose leaders on merit rather than geographical rotation, insisting that campaigns should focus on ideas, track records and vision for the state.

Uzodike, who said he served in four administrations, three of them as a State Executive Council member, stressed that elders must speak out against the current trend.

“The legacy we bequeath to our children today will turn to our culture tomorrow. This is not who we are,” he maintained