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NSUKKA, ENUGU STATE — The Nsukka Democratic Movement (NDM) has urged political stakeholders and the electorate across Enugu North Senatorial District to adopt a strategic approach to the 2027 Enugu State governorship election, arguing that the changing political landscape requires Nsukka to place competence, capacity and popular acceptance above exclusive reliance on zoning.

The Movement, an umbrella platform comprising civil society organisations, community-based democratic groups, youth organisations, professional associations, political advocacy groups and other people-oriented formations, said Nsukka’s substantial voting population should be deployed as a strategic political asset capable of influencing the choice of the next governor of Enugu State.

In a statement signed by its Secretary General, Comrade James Ezema, the NDM called for broad consultations among traditional leaders, professionals, youths, women, community organisations, political stakeholders and the wider electorate towards developing a common political position ahead of the 2027 election.

The Movement maintained that the central question before Nsukka should not merely be where the governorship is zoned, but who among the available aspirants possesses the competence, integrity, vision, capacity and broad acceptability required to provide effective leadership for Enugu State.

According to the NDM, Nsukka must move away from the practice of being courted primarily during election periods and instead use its numerical strength to secure meaningful participation, effective representation and tangible development.

“We call on all Nsukka people to make wise and strategic use of our high voting population. Our votes must no longer be treated merely as instruments for negotiating political positions after decisions have already been made elsewhere,” the statement said.

The Movement argued that the zoning arrangement that has dominated political discourse in Enugu State should be viewed within its historical and political context, stressing that it was fundamentally a political arrangement associated with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), rather than a constitutional provision or a universally binding agreement among all political parties and political actors.

It further contended that significant changes in the state’s political configuration have altered the circumstances under which the zoning arrangement operated.

“Zoning has collapsed as a political arrangement because its principal political vehicle is no longer in power in Enugu State. The zoning formula was a PDP initiative; it was not a constitutional provision, nor was it an agreement binding on all political parties in the state,” the NDM stated.

The group noted that with political parties exercising their constitutional and internal democratic processes in selecting governorship candidates, Nsukka should equally have the freedom to make its own strategic political choice based on the candidate considered most capable of serving the interests of the people.

However, the Movement stressed that abandoning an exclusive zoning approach must not create room for political exclusion, elite bargaining or the imposition of candidates on Nsukka.

Rather, it advocated broad-based consultations, popular participation, transparent political engagement and the emergence of a democratic consensus reflecting the aspirations of the people.

“We are not advocating for the exclusion of Nsukka zone from the governorship. On the contrary, we are advocating for a stronger and more intelligent strategy through which Enugu North Senatorial District can participate in determining who governs Enugu State in 2027,” it said.

The NDM also challenged political parties and governorship aspirants seeking the support of Nsukka to engage directly with the people and present concrete programmes addressing the region’s development needs.

It identified infrastructure, education, healthcare, employment, agriculture, industrialisation, security and human capital development as key areas requiring clear commitments from candidates.

The Movement warned that the people of Enugu North Senatorial District should not surrender their political choices to negotiations conducted by political elites without the participation of the electorate.

It therefore called on its affiliate organisations, community leaders, youth and women groups, professional bodies, civil society organisations and other democratic stakeholders across the district to participate actively in its ongoing consultations towards evolving a common political direction for the 2027 governorship election.

“2027 should not be about who has the loudest political machinery. It should be about who can earn the confidence of our people and provide competent, inclusive and development-oriented leadership,” the statement added.

The NDM insisted that Nsukka’s political influence must translate into concrete outcomes, urging the people of the district to participate actively in the political process, negotiate from a position of strength and vote based on competence, credibility and the overall interests of Enugu State.

“Nsukka must participate. Nsukka zone must negotiate. Nsukka zone must vote wisely. Above all, Enugu North Senatorial District must refuse to be excluded from the process of determining its own political future.”