Posted by By Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka on
Constitutional lawyer and former Secretary General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN) says the successor to President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007 must as a matter of justice and equity emerge from Ndigbo of the South- East geo-political zone.
Constitutional lawyer and former Secretary General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN) says the successor to President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007 must as a matter of justice and equity emerge from Ndigbo of the South- East geo-political zone.
Speaking to Daily Sun in Awka, the legal luminary and one of the pillars of the Patriots said that South-East wants the presidency and has a good case for it.
Nwabueze noted that going by the tripod on which Nigeria stands, only the Igbo have not really occupied the exalted position, adding that a previous attempt lasted only six months.
The former Ohaneze scribe stressed that the South-East was more than due and qualified to take up the mantle of leadership of Nigeria.
He said, "We want it in the South-East and we have a good case. This position, which is the topmost in the country, we held it only six months and considering our populous nature, I believe that the Igbo are the most populus of all the groups in the country, I think we deserve it".
Prof. Nwabueze however said the Igbo believe strongly in the federation and would not want anything that would destroy it, hence were not pursuing the position as a do-or-die affair, but rather in dialogue with other groups in Nigeria.
He warned those threatening fire and brimstone to be careful not to prevent the election from holding as that would lead to the continual stay of President Olusegun Obasanjo in power.
"All the various groups, especially in the South-East and in the North, we should all get together and discuss this matter and not allow it to prevent the election. Am against boycotting election, I think the South and the North should get together and discuss it, there is no problem that cannot be solved by dialogue. But as far as am concerned, we want it, the Igbo want it and we have a good case based on justice and equity.
"If you create a situation of anarchy, that will make it impossible to have elections and the president will continue under the constitution, so we must avoid anarchy, elections must be held and whoever wins let him take it.
"It is not a do-or-die for the South-East in the sense that we are prepared to destroy the federation, for the reason, no. I think the federation should be preserved, the unity of the country should be preserved, and justice should be accorded to us".
On the issue of adjudication of electoral cases, Nwabueze frowned at the long time it took for some cases to be concluded, especially in Anambra State and blamed it on the judicial system
"That is the problem of our judicial system, this issues should not take as long as it did, more than three years, it shouldn't take that long. We should develop a new approach to election petitions that would quicken the whole process. It is scandalous that it should be on for three years, but it's the problem with out judicial system.'