Igbo Presidency: Moghalu Cautions Ndigbo On Nzeribe
FORMER National Secretary of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Chief George Moghalu has chided critics of the choice of Senator Arthur Nzeribe as chairman of the committee raised by the South-East caucus to screen and recommend more suitable candidate(s) for the 2007 presidency. The caucus had unanimously picked the maverick politician at its September 9 meeting in Umuahia.
Moghalu believes the critics are being sponsored from outside to cause dissension and distract the Ndigbo from their dream project of producing a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction in 2007.
"This project (Igbo presidency) is one which every Igbo man desires," the ANPP governorship candidate for Anambra State in last year's general elections said.
"Of course, we know it would take a lot of negotiations, horse-trading, concessions and sacrifices to realise this dream because we (Igbos) cannot be an island unto ourselves."
Moghalu continued: "And that is why it is very frustrating and unfortunate that some are being used to call to question the leadership of the committee which the South-East caucus set up in its wisdom to prepare the ground for the emergence of the right candidate(s) when the chips are down.
"You see, what is happening is that some people in Igboland are being used to try to destroy the messenger so that the value of the message would have been rendered worthless at the end. But such persons are making a grievous mistake because the Nzeribe I know is not a man to be so swayed by mere media attacks."
Urging the Igbo to unite and shun any factor that may distract, he noted that if the Igbo are not careful, "people from outside Igboland may be so used to derail our journey. So, we must be watchful."
Nzeribe has vowed to discharge the responsibility to the best of his ability. He said: "Let me say with every sense of decency that the caucus knows why those of us on the committee were given such a huge responsibility. Let me also emphatically state my whole-hearted determination to discharge this mandate and responsibility with the support of my colleagues on the committee. Any attempt to try to distract us will not succeed, he said.
Nzeribe wondered what the issue was really all about since he had not written any advance report, "neither have I discussed 'names' with any person or any committee member. As at date, the only governors the committee had interviewed are those of Abia and Anambra."
Nzeribe said rather than discouragement, the criticism had only helped to strengthen his zeal to do a job deserving of the confidence reposed in him and others. "I honestly state that I did not take umbrage with the articles. Instead, it has fortified our resolve as committee members to produce a report deserving of the August membership of the committee, which nobody can dismiss with a wave of the hand."
