Former civilian governor of old Anambra State, ex-senator and UNPP presidential candidate in the April 19, 2003 elections, Chief Jim Nwobodo warns Igbos that the 2007 presidency would elude them if there is absence of team spirit and political unity.
I have not really been around to follow developments on the political scene. I have been in and out of the country, attending to serious and urgent business matters that require my attention. It is not as if one does not have interest in the affairs of his country but you know, of course, that someone like me can’t divorce himself from this thing (politics).
So, I slowed down a bit in the past months on politics so that other important areas can equally enjoy my attention and presence. That means that I won’t be in a position to give informed views on the question you have asked me.
First and foremost, I wasn’t at the meeting in Enugu where Igbos in the various parties were mandated to get their parties to concede presidency positions to the Igbos. I’m not even in the country right now so I really can’t comment on what Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeke and others said. But I must say here that the presidency of this country for Ndigbo in 2007 is very feasible but it depends on how Igbos handle that opportunity. Some of us tried it last year (2003) but a lot of forces thwarted the project.
Igbos were accused of having too many candidates and of not being organised. Some Igbos even ensured that the project never worked. So, that’s the problem. We have the candidates, credible ones for that matter and not just little papa’s boys who posture all around the place. So, I want Nigerians to know that presidential materials are not in short supply in Igboland.
But our people (Igbos) must know that having potentials and prospects is one thing and utilising those factors to one’s advantage is another. I will advise our people not to make the same old mistakes. We must not allow others to distract us. We must come together and play as a formidable team. It is this team spirit that will give us a good bargaining power. The same team spirit can get us close to other people to talk seriously in our quest for support of our aspirations in spite of whatever anybody might think.
We must begin to identify the power points and consciously break into them and work our way to influence things. Political parties, geo-political zones, individuals that can sympathise with our cause should be courted as quickly and consciously as possible. We must begin to defend our interest and canvas our positions very strongly, boldly and decisively. Contact is very important. Unity is very important. Team spirit is important. And boldness in seeking our aspiration is crucial to the game, just as strong leadership of the race can provide meaningful direction.
We must persevere and fight for it until we win in no distant future. I really commend the initiative of Edwin Ume-Ezoeke and co, but a lot of work needs to be done.
Let’s be careful— Nwachukwu
Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and NDP presidential flag bearer, Senator Ike Nwachukwu endorses the moves by some Igbo leaders to get the various political parties to concede the presidency to the South East in 2007, but advises that caution should guide the efforts by the Igbos towards getting the ultimate job.
Well, I totally endorse the decision of Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke’s group. I don’t think there is any true Igbo man who would condemn what those people have said. I read about it the newspapers on Tuesday or so, and I couldn’t but agree with them.
You see, a Nigerian presidency headed by an Igbo is a campaign that did not just start today. It’s been long that the agitation began but the problem is that we have never been able to realise it. So, the question is: why are we not able to do that?
It is obvious that there are a lot of internal and external forces in opposition to this project. Some Igbos want it in the outward but would not want to have anything to do with it inwardly. There are also those who favour it inwardly but would not accept it in the open. On the outer sphere, a combination of forces are working desperately to ensure that it never happens. These are the issues we must identify first and foremost. It is when we have come to terms with all these tendencies that we can begin to plan to realise it.
In doing the planning, we must begin early enough like the other sections of the country who are equally eager and ever ready to displace Igbos in the race for the job. In recent times, the North has never left anyone in doubt that it wants the job. But in actual fact, it is the South East and South South that stand at a good position. Therefore, I think that in 2007, Ndigbo have a date with destiny again but the approach must change this time.
A lot of care must be taken not to repeat the mistakes of the past where the South-East planning was lacking or absolutely ineffective. Others desire and plan well while the South-East desires it but has problems with planning. I am yet to see the Ohanaeze president, Prof. Joe Irukwu to find out what our leadership has in mind. If we must make a headway in the 2007 presidency, Ndigbo and their leaders must work together with their heads clear on the common goal.
‘You don’t dictate to the parties’
Senator Hyde Onuaguluchi, a heavyweight politician from the South-East picks holes in the manner the Igbo presidency project is being carried out.
Well, I was not part of the Enugu meeting last week but I read details of their communique in the newspapers early in the week. From what I read, they were talking about Igbos in some political parties ensuring that the 2007 presidency slot is given to Ndigbo.
That is a good idea but the strategy is not practicable to me. The presidency of Nigeria is not something a few Igbo prominent sons would meet somewhere and come out to say, that so and so things should happen in their various political parties. It is not reasonable. It doesn’t make sense to me. Do you dictate to others? You don’t dictate to the political parties what to give you (Ndigbo). I do not see how a few Igbo individuals in the various political parties can get their parties to concede the presidency to South East in 2007.
I have not seen any seriousness in that approach. In any case, such decision does not showcase those who held that meeting as serious individuals which most of them indeed are. The likes of Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, for instance, cannot be ignored. He is a respected statesman in Igboland and I want to believe that whatever he associates his name with, would be something that is serious in the minds of any reasonable person.
Having said that, I want to point out that for the presidency to get to Igboland in 2007, there must be clear seriousness of purpose. Igbo leaders must sit down and negotiate the interest of their zone with others. They must learn to build bridges and structures. Those who will represent the zone ought to have been making very serious tactical moves towards getting what they want.
But what is happening today is that some people in Igbo land are engaging in wishful effort rather than practical one. Nothing so far suggests to me that our people are working co-operatively. There must be concerted effort by Igbos to get a party like the PDP to sit down and negotiate.
For instance, when President Olusegun Obasanjo came to Igboland to campaign in 2003, that was the proper time for Ndigbo to have sat him down to negotiate their way to the presidency. They ought to have asked the president what he intended to give to the Igbos in return for their support. Igbos should have extracted a promise from him that he would hand over to them at the end of his tenure. It would have been an agreed issue. The North did it with Obasanjo in 1999. They negotiated with him and that is why they are now making strong claims for the presidency and appear to be getting the backing of the deciding forces.
The Northern representatives in the senate met recently and declared that their region won’t go back on 2007 and up till now, there has not been any serious challenge to that declaration from the South East in particular. Added to that is the fact that Igbos are used by others to destroy their own. It happened to some of us in the senate at the beginning of the democratic dispensation.
So, for 2007 presidency to be real in the South East, there must be seriousness, good planning and negotiation and not by making thoughtless declaration. The perfect examples of what I have just said are former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida and Vice President Atiku Abubakar. These two gentlemen are very serious human beings. Their planning towards 2007 is strategic and straight to the goal of the region. Atiku in particular may not be the talking type but he knows his onions. This is what I am talking about.
