As the battle for succession to next Chief Medical Director position of University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH heightens, a group operating under the aegis of Southern Senatorial District Youth Movement has demanded for the  zoning of the  position to central part of Cross River state.
Recall that on January 16, this year, the Board of UCTH conducted an interview among the nine candidates for the office of the Chief Medical Director, CMD of the hospital.
Three of the aspirants emerged tops, namely, Profs Ikpeme Ikpeme, Edet Ikpi and Ngim Ngim, after rigorous interview and their names are to be submitted to the Presidency for selection and appointment of a successor to current CMD of the hospital, Prof. Thomas Agan, whose tenure is expected to elapse in the first week of April 2019.
As a result of this, lobbying among the three ethnic nationalities and groups within the health institution for their favoured candidate, is now at its peak leading to disunity and disaffection among some top management staff in the hospital,  dividing themselves  along ethnic lines.
Throwing its weight behind zoning, the Southern Senatorial District Forum, Cross River State said it was high time the Presidency considered Prof Edet Ikpi, from Central as the next Chief Medical Director of UCTH for equity, justice and fairness.
In a statement made available to newsmen in Calabar, yesterday,  President of the group, Prince Peter Duke, stated  that the Southern senatorial zone of the state had held the position of  CMD  for about 17 years while the central took  a shot for only eight years with the  north  doing eight years.
Duke mentioned indigens of the south  who had occupied the office  of Chief Medical to include Profs E. B Attah, (19884-85); Itam H. Itam (195-88), Iwatt (1988-1992); Larry Bassey (1993-1994) and Etetim Asuquo (2002-2010).