South-south Leaders Seek Presidency
Anenih berates govs lobbying for VP post
From Josephine Lohor and Chuks Okocha in Abuja
For the first time since the debate on where the next president should come from in 2007 began, leaders of the South-south geo-political zone yesterday joined the fray as they gathered in Abuja and resolved not to concede the exalted office to any other zone come 2007.
But at the summit, Acting Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Board of Trustees, Chief Anthony Anenih, berated some of the six governors in the zone for lobbying to become vice president to either former military leader General Ibrahim Babangida or Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
The south-south leaders who met in Abuja under the aegis of the South-south Assembly said they would field a strong presidential candidate in the next general elections. They noted that people from the zone are equal stakeholders in the project called Nigeria.
Chairman of the convening committee Dr. Joseph Wayas, in a keynote address said, "the South-south zone eminently qualifies and deserves to lead the country at the highest level of political leadership come 2007.We deserve it and should demand it."
"We note with great disappointment the unbridled jostling for the presidency of the country by 2007 by other geo political zones without any consideration for the South-south zone which is yet to produce the President of the nation since 1960 till date. We demand that the time has come for justice and fair play to prevail. The South-south must be allowed to produce the next President of the country," he added.
The former senate president described the South-south Assembly as, "the social forum and rally point for the people of the South-south to foster unity, interaction and exchange of ideas and for the articulation of issues that will promote harmony, peaceful co-existence and well being of the people and states in the south-south zone of Nigeria."
Wayas stated that the time had come for every person from the zone to come together and work more vigorously for the enthronement of peace, development, unity and brotherhood among the people of the zone.
He lamented that the zone which lays the golden egg for the growth and development of Nigeria is being marginalized and that the only palliative to the suffering of the zone in the areas of the onshore/offshore act was about to be abrogated.
"We note with deep disappointment, that the political solution that culminated in the law abrogating the oil revenue dichotomy was merely a palliative which leaders in the zone accepted as a mark of sacrifice and in the interest of national unity, peace and progress as well as for the health of our nascent democracy.
"Today, this palliative is being challenged, unprovoked and without official reaction by the same people for whom the sacrifice was made. It is no exaggeration to state that the South-south zone still remains physically devastated, despoiled and destroyed," Wayas lamented.
He also condemned Federal Government's attitude in not protecting the Bakassi people saying, "the south-south zone has been further devastated psychologically, emotionally and economically by the decision to cede some parts of Bakassi to Cameroon at a time when some zones are extending their borders."
He called on the Federal Government to continue to guarantee the protection and safety of all those Nigerians in this zone who are "psychologically and emotionally distressed and frustrated by the implementation of the world court."
In his goodwill message, Anenih commended the conveners of the assembly and urged the South-south zone to unite in order to achieve their objectives in the 2007 elections. "If we are not united, they will come to pick us one by one, because our unity is shaking," he said.
Anenih also condemned the idea where some South-south governors lobby to become running mates to either Babangida or Atiku saying, "Some will be going to Minna or to Atiku saying I want to be Vice President," he said.
He also charged the Assembly to ensure that the governors from the zone are accountable to the people through performance.
"I believe that this body will have the courage to ask the governors to give account of their tenure and not be going to Minna or to Atiku that they want to be Vice President. We must be strong enough to tell our governors to be accountable," Anenih said.
He called on the Assembly to address the issue of youth restiveness, as it was portraying the zone in bad light.
In his comment, chairman of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Chief Don Etiebet, called on the zone to put behind its disunity and be prepared to field a presidential candidate in the 2007 polls.
According to ANPP Chairman, "the next president come 2007 must come from this zone. Why must we present the Vice President, why not go for the highest office of the land?"
He, like Anenih called for the unity of the zone. "Time has come for us not to be taken one by one, or to be used as individual. We shall go for the highest office of the land," Etiebet said.
Earlier in his speech, Chairman of the steering committee, Chief Raymond Dopkesi said, " for the benefit of many who have started to allude misguided and erroneous interpretations to our mission, I say on behalf of the steering committee of this Consultative Assembly that ours is a movement that seeks to end an age long disadvantage imposed on our people by the share burden of being minorities in Nigeria."
He stated that the zone has always stood for the unity, peace and progress of Nigeria. He added that "in turbulent times, the South-south has always played a unifying role and will continue to do so."
Dopkesi who lamented the minority status of the zone said, "time has come however when we must change and recharge our processes, when we must adopt new methodologies, expand our horizon and seek result oriented strategies that must free our people from the yoke of all human and elemental oppression."
The meeting attracted the who-is-who from the zone. They include Major General David Ejoor, Senator Franca Afegbua, Chief Allision Ayida, Chief John Oyegun, Chief Pere Ajuwa, Dr. S.O. Ogbemudia, Vice Admiral Mike Aikhgbe, Chief Tony Momoh, Senator Aniette Okon, Mercy Allogua, M.T. Mbu and host of other leaders from the zone.
Meanwhile, Governor Achike Udenwa of Imo State has appealed to Nigerians to give the Igbo a chance to lead the country after the expiration of the Obasanjo administration in 2007.
Speaking to State House Correspondents shortly after what he described as "a routine meeting" with Atiku yesterday at the State House, Udenwa debunked the perception that the Igbo were not united to get the 2007 Presidency.
"If you go to Igbo land today and check this very Igbo issue, at least you will have 80 per cent of the people supporting it. So, how united do you want them to be?", he asked.
Udenwa who stated that the Igbo were strategising for 2007, noted that "the crux of the matter is that the Igbo want to produce the President of this country and we are appealing to other zones to support us not by fight or by anything. We are just appealing to the conscience of other Nigerians to check for how long we have had independence, which is 44 years ago."
"Then you check how many years have we ever ruled? The Igbo man had been the President of this country for six months. So, we are saying that we should be considered and I am sure it is not just something to be given away for nothing."
"We have the correct manpower, we have the correct people and I am sure we are capable of producing somebody who can lead this country aright," he said.
While emphasising that it is wrong for people to continue speculating about disunity among Igbo, Udenwa noted that "we are united than any other tribe in this country. With due respect, you can remember that when Mr. President became the President of this country, the Yoruba were not united and he, Obasanjo was not even their candidate.
"Their candidate at that time, I am sure some of us knew, was Chief Olu Falae. So, you cannot accuse the Igbo of not being united. You do not expect that when such an issue comes up, 100 per cent of the people will say yes," he added.
Giving insight into strategies being adopted to ensure that the 2007 Presidency comes to the South-east, Udenwa said, "We are trying to make a case. At the end of the day, we are not talking about a President that can be elected by only the Igbo. The President must be elected by all Nigerians. So, the appeal is very important. We must articulate our position well. We must also make sure we are presenting a candidate who will win the confidence of the rest of Nigerians."
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