THERE is a certain air of anxiety among Ndi Igbo as they look forward to converge in Owerri, the Imo State capital, on September 29, for this year’s edition of the annual Igbo Day, usually held under the auspices of the apex umbrella organisation, Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo. At least two factors are responsible for this. One, this year’s event, being hosted by the government of Imo State, is coming against the backdrop of growing political consciousness among Ndi Igbo.
Therefore, it is expected that the forthcoming event will afford the political leaders of the race an opportunity to further articulate their position on sundry issues concerning the welfare and political future of their people. Of course, it is almost taken for granted that the issue of the Igbo quest for the presidency in 2007 will be top in the agenda. Only last weekend, the South-East caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rose from its quarterly meeting in Umuahia with a resolve to pursue the Igbo president project to a logical conclusion.
That was the second time in less than six months, the caucus, made up of the five South-East governors and their deputies, members of the National Assembly, speakers of the state houses of assembly in the zone, and national officers of the PDP from the zone, was taking such a resolution. It did a similar thing at an earlier parley in Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi State. The Umuahia gathering was, however, an expanded one because it had in attendance other top Igbo leaders who do not necessarily hold top offices, elective or appointive.
Formidable gathering
Still, the Owerri event promises to be even a mere formidable gathering which several members of the Igbo elite are eagerly looking forward to as a forum that will provide the Igbo political establishment another opportunity to make even bolder statements on the political aspiration of its people. Yet, there is another reason why most members of the Igbo elite are counting the days to storm Owerri: the growing attraction of Owerri itself as the political Mecca of Ndi Igbo. Apart from economic, social and even geographical factors, this attraction to Owerri is largely informed by the amiable personality of the governor of the host state, Chief Achike Udenwa.
This is because Udenwa has managed to maintain a very warm relationship with almost all categories of the Igbo elite. Imo is the only state in which there has been no major brush between the governor and sections of the political elite within and outside the state despite the fact that the state is the home of some of the most controversial political personalities in Igbo land.
The state is the home of the Nzeribes, Ozichukwus, Enwerems, Iwuanyanwus and other top political players whose personality could be quite overwhelming for any fellow who does not possess the type of comportment Udenwa is blessed with. For example, the governor has a very cordial relationship with the maverick politician, Senator Arthur Nzeribe, a thing that, in fact, marvels several observers given the highly controversial nature of the politician.
So close are the two, who come from the same Orlu senatorial zone that only a few weeks ago, the senator led a group of key politicians from Orlu zone to endorse Udenwa as the candidate of Imo State for the 2007 presidential race. The governor is also quite close to the highly reversed frontline politician and newspaper publisher, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, who is believed to be one of the stabilizing factors of his administration.
Observers also point at the remarkable cordial relationship between the governor and Nze Ozichukwu, the South-East zonal chairman of the PDP. To be sure, Imo people are generally known as peace loving but observers believe that it is Udenwa’s level headedness that has saved the people from witnessing frequent clashes either between him and some individuals or groups or among members of the elite. Besides, it is the governor’s composure that has also endeared him to several politicians outside the South-East.
Udenwa is believed to be quite close to many key northern political elements. Indeed, despite his vehement insistence that it is the turn of the South-East to produce the president of Nigeria in 2007, Udenwa is known to have a very warm relationship with all the known northern contenders for the presidency in 2007, a situation which puts him in a good stead to play a frontline role in the strategic consultations and alliances that will be inevitably witnessed in the march towards 2007.
This year’s Igbo Day is most unlikely to witness any boycotts by any of the governors of the Igbo states as has been witnessed in the past editions. Udenwa is known to have a very close relationship with every one of his colleagues. Last year’s event held in Aba, Abia State was boycotted by Governor Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu State. This was attributed to his cold relationship with Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, who hosted the 2003 event. In fact, both are known to boycott any event held in the domain of each other. It was only of recent that Kalu resumed attending the South-East Governors Forum.
The same cold relationship exists between Nnamani and the embattled Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chris Ngige. Nnamani is alleged in some quarters as being part of the conspiracy to remove Ngige from office, especially on the basis of the ruling given by an Enugu High Court judge, Stanley Nnaji, asking Ngige to vacate office.
At the last South-East Governor’s Forum held in Awka which had Kalu in attendance, Nnamani was absent.
It is believed in several quarters that the South-East Governors Forum may have completely collapsed but for the fact that Udenwa was its chairman during its most critical period when emotion ran high among the governors. With Owerri as a ‘neutral’ ground, observers believe that all the governors will be in attendance thus providing the governors’ body an opportunity to finally mend fences. If that happens, Udenwa would have provided the entire Igbo political establishment an opportunity to resolve one issue which many pretended does not exist but was fast threatening the fragile unity among the Igbo political elite.
The choice of Imo as venue for this year’s Igbo Day celebration may be a mere coincidence but observers believe that Udenwa’s vehemence on the Igbo quest for the presidency will largely complement it. Although there are speculations that the governor may take a shot at the presidency in 2007, those who know him closely point out that his interest is to see that Ndi Igbo; this time around, go about the matter with a single will. For a fellow for whom politics is never a do or die affair, Udenwa, analysts believe, will be ever willing to support any candidate Ndi Igbo would throw up as their standard bearer in the epic battle for 2007.
