The drive for Nigerian President of Igbo extraction seems to be gathering momentum nationwide, just as some elder statesmen in the country, including former Nigerian Presidents and major socio-cultural organisations are already examining the irresistible call for Nigerian President from the South East zone. These stakeholders in Nigeria are beginning to narrow down the consequences of not adhering to what was described as an overdue demand by the people of the South East to produce Nigerian President.
They are also having a critical look at what will happen should Nigeria hold her 2023 Presidential election to the exclusion of the people of the South East zone.
Saturday INDEPENDENT gathered that Igbo apex socio-cultural group known as Ohanaeze Ndigbo, other numerous socio-cultural groups, Pro-Biafra agitators, Igbo business class both home and in the Diaspora are working hard with their numerous contacts in Nigeria and beyond, expressing their desire to launch themselves back to the mainstream Nigeria, having contributed to the economic and socio-political development of Nigeria to the point of losing their precious lives and property across the country, Nigeria.
Speaking with Saturday INDEPENDENT in an exclusive interview, the former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, said he was confident that an Igbo will emerge the President of Nigeria. According to him, the people of the South West, Middle Belt, South South and the rest of Northern Nigeria are supporting the demand for Nigeria President of Igbo extraction.
Ezeife was quick to respond along party lines, stating that the support for the South East zone to produce the President has nothing to do with party affiliations. He decried the call made by one of the APC governors from the South East, advising all Igbo to join APC to prevent hunger against the people of the area.
“We are looking forward to seeing an Igbo Presidential candidate who will be acceptable by us Igbo and the rest of Nigerians. We have so many of them. For me, I easily understand what is going on about this defection. Some people want to hold on to power and control the apparatus of power to bring down their opponents.
“One of the governors from the South East attended our meeting and advised that we all should join APC, the ruling party to avoid being killed by hunger.
“Obviously, a man that reasons this way is not qualified to be an Igbo man or a Presidential flag bearer of Igbo extraction. Such a personality cannot make a good President. Some of them are self-styled leaders who are looking for opportunities to betray the Igbo. Nigerian President of Igbo extraction has been ordained by God.
“The support for Igbo President is not based on political party affiliations. I am certain that parties will nominate their candidates from the South East. APC has taken good steps and PDP has no choice than to nominate their Presidential candidate from the South East. If they don’t do so, APC will overrun them in the South East. Any Igbo man who considers the position of Vice President will be sent to an errand for which he will never return,” he stated.
Few days ago, the Coalition of Northern Elders for Peace and Development led by Zana Goni, reassured that the people of the South East should produce the next President come 2023. The group also supported rotational Presidency with a view to ensure equity and fair play to all six geo-political zones in Nigeria.
“After eight years of Muhammadu Buhari, the next president should come from Southern Nigeria and since the South West and South South have occupied the office in the present dispensation, the South East is the next in line in the spirit of the rotation, fairness, equity and justice.
“This will bring an end to manifestation of marginalisation against the South East. It will also foster national unity and also bring to a close the bitterness of the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War which has lingered for 50 years. It is either Igbo Presidency or nothing,” Goni said.
Barely three years ahead of the 2023 Presidential election, the demand for an Igbo to become President of Nigeria is becoming real thereby raising the political stake across the South East. The stage appears set for the key political actors in the area to play and draw battle lines against themselves. No doubt the two major political parties in Nigeria, the APC and PDP, are beginning to think in the direction of the people towards producing Presidential candidates from the South East.
This may have accounted for why the Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, recently defected to APC without the presence of APC top brass and the likes of Senator Orji Uzor-Kalu, Senator Rochas Okorocha, former Senate President Chief Ken Nnamani, Chief (Dr.) Chris Ngige, former Governor of Abia State, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu and many other APC members.
There are indications that Governor Umahi is pulling the strings from the Presidency where he was linked with the immediate past Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engr. David and the present SGF, Boss Mustapha. The former was said to be Umahi’s personal friend who brought him closer to President Muhammadu Buhari.
David once visited Ebonyi State to Commission Projects, during which he praised Governor Umahi for projects executed by him and promised to help Umahi politically, but the assistance he would render to Umahi must be when he joins APC.
Obviously, Umahi was instrumental to Buhari’s success stories against IPOB. His position as the Chairman of the South East Governors forum slowed down IPOB activities which was a nightmare to President Buhari’s Administration.
President Muhammadu Buhari once visited Ebonyi State to commission the governor’s projects at the heat of IPOB’s agitation for Biafra with several threats to stop the Anambra State governorship election in 2018.
He (Buhari) slept in Ebonyi State after his one day working visit, apparently to cement a give and take agreement between him and Governor Umahi.
However, to some politicians, Umahi’s defection did not come to them as a surprise having used his position as the Chairman of the South East Governors’ forum to penetrate the presidency.
But how far can Governor Umahi go in his Presidential bid, judging from the fact that he requires special waiver to be in the APC mainstream and needs the cooperation of notable APC members who were in the party before he joined?
It is not in doubt that Umahi’s defection to APC has sent jitters to APC frontline Presidential aspirants including Senator Orji Uzor Kalu and Senator Rochas Okorocha, all said to have suddenly suspended their respective whispering campaigns.
Prior to Umahi’s defection, Senator Orji Uzor-Kalu embarked on trips to notable Nigerians including the former Head of State, President Ibrahim Babangida, where he received whispering endorsements. These were captured by the social media influencers and traditional media houses across Nigeria.
Saturday INDEPENDENT called Senator Orji Uzor-Kalu on telephone to ascertain why he suddenly suspended his nationwide whispering campaign, but he declined comments in this direction.
On whether Umahi’s defection has jolted his presidential ambition, he said, “How can Umahi’s entrant into APC ruin my chances of flying the APC Presidential flag? I am a serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The APC doors are open to as many people as possible who are willing to join the party. We need more important personalities from the South East to join us.”
Sources from the APC Orji Uzor-Kalu’s camp disclosed that their principal is worried on the emergence of Governor David Umahi with the Northern politicians who were physically present on the day he declared for APC. “This led to putting his nationwide whispering campaign on hold until the coast became clearer to him,” said the source.
Though the Chief Press Secretary to Senator Rochas Okorocha, Sam Onwuemeodo, declined comments on why his boss suspended his subtle campaign for President, sources from the area indicated that Okorocha may not border again to present himself for the office of the president, having realised that Umahi’s Presidential ambition was allegedly backed by the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.
Meanwhile, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, has debunked speculations that his boss has concluded plans to join APC.
He said, “I have heard the rumour that my boss will soon join APC, please it is rumour. He is not planning to go anywhere. He is very grateful to PDP and has no intention to defect to APC.”