Posted by Harry Nwana on
When Ndigbo agreed in their multifarious caucuses, that it would be appropriate to fall in line with the general thinking of other Nigerians, to compensate the South west zone, which had just lost a great son, Abiola, in a political struggle, their calculation was that when that amendment was over,......
When Ndigbo agreed in their multifarious caucuses, that it would be appropriate to fall in line with the general thinking of other Nigerians, to compensate the South west zone, which had just lost a great son, Abiola, in a political struggle, their calculation was that when that amendment was over, an Igbo President would immediately follow. All possible Igbo candidates and agitators for that office were halted.
As Obasanjo's mandate was inching to termination, the agitations were renewed. Against that background, it was an act of treachery that an Igbo person, be he leader or follower, should be seen giving a semblance of support to what has now gone down in history as the third term myth.
Those Igbo who lined up behind the elongation bid should count themselves lucky that they are Igbo. Were they Yoruba, they would have been ostracized politically forever. As soon as the third term battle was won and lost, the Igbo champions of Obasanjo's elongation in office have been the first to jump into the ring with shouts of 'Igbo presidency, now or never." Whom do they think they are fooling?
As if the tomfoolery was not enough, Ohanaeze, whose role in all those antics had been the most deplorable, was seen on television over the weekend leading a delegation of so-called Igbo eminent personalities to deliver to Obasanjo a plea for immediate Igbo Presidency. What Obasanjo has to do with it is unknown.
They were served right by Obasanjo who lost no time in telling them what any village clown could have known, that it did not lie with him to choose his successor or impose Ndigbo on Nigeria. It was revolting that an Igbo delegation should be lectured on so clear-cut a matter.
They filed out of his office looking completely deflated but wearing a forced smile that depicted neither triumph nor the full impact of their embarrassment.
I suspect that they now will wish to be forgiven by Obasanjo for wasting his time, and by Ndigbo for incorrectly making them seem so daft.
I join others in pleading with Ohanaeze to put their house in order before seeking to speak for Ndigbo any more. What that Ohanaeze group tried to prove was that they were capable of reaching Obasanjo at will. Ohanaeze does not require Obasanjo's endorsement to achieve their goals. Credibility complex was obviously consuming the Irukwu faction of the apex Igbo organisation.
Ndigbo have diluted their claim for Igbo Presidency. They should join the South South in the search for an acceptable Presidential Candidate among them. If he happens to be an Igbo, that should be the greatest Ndigbo should expect for now. An Akwa Ibom President is as close to being an Igbo President as makes the difference insignificant.
ANAMBRA DESERVES A BREAK
We all jubilated when the judiciary eventually returned to Peter Obi the mandate which always belonged to him. My immediate concern is that Peter Obi's APGA is not happy with Ngige for discrepancies allegedly found in Ngige's fiscal and administrative governance records.
I have read some of the comments made by the APGA leaders on the matter, and the replies from the Onitsha PDP faction, in defence of Ngige. My advice to Governor Obi is to get on with his business of governing Anambra State and never let his success or non-success depend on Ngige's perceived and hyped shortcomings. Ngige was a great success, no matter how APGA may feel about it. He took over from Mbadinuju, a disaster, and turned Anambra round.
Blaming Ngige for a number of discrepancies uncovered, real or imagined, will not yield any political dividend to him or his party. It is important to everybody that he succeeds. Therefore, Obi should get on with his job without allowing unhelpful acrimony to deter him. Besides, the time at his disposal is short and his admirers are watching.
It is possible that some of Obi's advisers may want to diminish Ngige's reputation in order that a wide difference is perceived between him and Ngige. Obi should guess that it will take more than trivial indictments to effectively put Ngige down. Besides, such a pursuit is mean and not worth its while.
We need a permanent presence of the APGA in all of the South East States and beyond. Obi has the opportunity to begin the ascendancy. A war of denigration against Ngige is not the best way of accomplishing that. It may boomerang.