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Ndigbo insists on
2007Presidency
•Wades into Ojukwu , SSS face-off
EMMA OGU, Owerri
NDIGBO
yesterday again rose in massive support of the bid by the ethnic nationality to
produce the country’s next president in 2007.
Messages of support for the bid came from
some Northern leaders also at the grand finale of the Igbo Day celebration in
Owerri even as apex Igbo organisation Ohanaeze, is to wade into the current
face-off between Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu and the State
Security Services (SSS).
All the five governors of the South-East
states were in agreement that it was the turn of the Igbo to produce the next
president.
Those who spoke include Governors Achike
Udenwa of Imo, Chris Ngige of Anambra and Sam Egwu of Ebonyi.
Others were Governor Orji Uzor Kalu of
Abia, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Professor
Chibuzo Ogbuagu as well as Gov. Chimaroke Nnamani of Enugu State, represented by
his deputy, Ezenwata Okechukwu Itanyi.
Setting the ball rolling, National
President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Professor Joe Irukwu, insisted that 2007 is the
turn of Ndigbo.
Irukwu articulated the number of years the
different major ethnic nationalities in the country had occupied the nation’s
top seat, saying the North has had it for 30 years, South West, 12 years (by
2007) and South East, only six months, concluding that Ndigbo are demanding for
justice by 2007.
The Ohanaeze leader assured the people of
the South-East that his leadership can never allow the race to be cheated again.
"It is better for me to die than allow
Ndigbo to be cheated, as president of Ohanaeze," he vowed.
Senate President, Senator Adolphus Wabara,
who was represented at the occasion by Senator Emma Anosike, said that all is
set for Igbo to take what is rightfully theirs and reminded them that the issue
of the positions of Vice President or Senate President is all over.
Governor Ngige, on his part, pointed out
that Ndigbo have produced qualified citizens who can rule the country and
assured that Anambra will give total support to actualization of the project.
Governor Egwu, in his own speech, noted
that Nigeria cannot exist without Ndigbo and expressed the belief that Professor
Irukwu’s leadership of Ohanaeze will lead the race to the promised land.
He noted that every Igbo person is
important in the struggle to actualize the 2007 project and praised the support
of Ebonyi State in the regard.
Other prominent dignitaries present
include frontline politician, Chief Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Senator Arthur
Nzeribe, Alhaji Wada Nas, Chief Rochas Okorocha, Hon. Kelechi Nwagwu (Speaker,
Imo Assembly).
The occasion was used to honour fallen
heroes of Ndigbo.
Addressing a press conference in Owerri to
mark the end of the Igbo Day, Prof. Irukwu said Ohanaeze will intervene in the
Ojukwu/SSS face off.
Governor Kalu said: "Ndigbo taught Nigeria
how to live and how to work hard".
Governor Kalu recalled that he recently
hosted the South East caucus which deliberated extensively on the 2007 project.
Governor Nnamani similarly praised the
personality and leadership of Professor Irukwu and promised that Enugu State is
backing the efforts of Ohanaeze and Ndigbo.
Governor Udenwa concluded the speeches
with a religious song calling on God to listen to the voice of Ndigbo.
Earlier, in his speech, Justice Chukwudifu
Oputa, who chaired the occasion, said the events of yesterday were a challenge
to all Ndigbo alive to leave a legacy for the race.
He urged every Igbo to raise their heads
in pride wherever they are for being Igbo and called on the people of the South
East to reflect on their past.
Justice Oputa, who recalled the oppression
of Ndigbo beginning with the events of 1966 which led to the civil war, noted
that the pronouncement of "No Victor, No Vanquished" after the war by the
federal authorities did not work out.
He charged Ndigbo to sustain the spirit of
self reliance and always be their brothers’ keepers
"We hold the economy of Nigeria. It is our
collective interest to unite. We should rededicate ourselves to the great task
of reforming the Igbo", he said.
Former president of the Nigeria Labour
Congress (NLC), Mr. Paschal Bafyau, who also spoke, said it is the turn of
Ndigbo to occupy the presidential seat and pointed out that the North East is
not eyeing the position now because, Alhaji Tafawa Balewa has occupied the seat
before.
The former NLC president, however,
maintained that all that Ndigbo require to make it in 2007 is unity expressing
his solidarity with the people of the South East.
Similarly, Mrs. Sara Jubril, said that her
people are very much concerned about the aspiration of Ndigbo to rule in 2007
because Ndigbo have made their contributions to the nation.
According to Jubril who pointed out her
link with Arochukwu, Ndigbo dominate Nigerians in diaspora who are today doing
well.
The well attended occasion featured
cultural displays by groups.
Other prominent dignitaries present
include frontline politician, Chief Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Senator Arthur
Nzeribe, Alhaji Wada Nas, Chief Rochas Okorocha, Hon. Kelechi Nwagwu (Speaker,
Imo Assembly).
The occasion was used to honour fallen
heroes of Ndigbo.
Addressing a press conference in Owerri to
mark the end of the Igbo Day, Prof. Irukwu said Ohanaeze will intervene in the
Ojukwu/SSS face off.
Other national issues addressed by
Ohanaeze include the issue of the movement for the Actualisation of the
Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and convocation of a National Conference.
On the disagreement between Ojukwu and the
SSS, Prof. Irukwu called for caution among all parties concerned and appealed to
them to restrain from unnecessary media publicity on the subject matter
henceforth.
He said that Ohanaeze is constitutionally
bound to protect the interest of every Igbo son and since Dim Ojukwu is an Igbo
son and a prominent one, the issue of his well being is a matter that concerns
Ohanaeze.
He called on all concerned and the media
to stay further action in publicising the issue which he regarded as a sensitive
one on the pages of newspapers to create a ripe atmosphere for easy and amicable
resolution of the matter.
On the issue of MASSOB, the leadership of
Ohanaeze observed that what is responsible for the emergence of militant youths
all over Nigeria also accounts for the emergence of MASSOB.
According to him the emergence of these
youth militant groups is a direct product of social injustice inflicted on the
masses over the years by bad regimes.
Prof. Irukwu noted that these militant
youths will reduce or disappear if the negative situation that prompted their
emergence is redressed and the people begin to see positive evidence that the
principle of justice for all becomes the basis of governance and public
programmes and objective.
He further stated that more than 90 per
cent of the people especially in the rural areas believe that the shadow of the
civil still exists and in support of their belief, they refer to the poor state
of their roads, other infrastructural facilities and other areas of
marginalisation.
According to him, in the face of this
neglect of plenty and what they see as poverty in the midst they become easy
prey to anyone who preaches to them a better alternative and no amount of force
can make them to change their mind.
"The truth remains that the ordinary
people, especially in the South East and South South, believe that they have
been neglected by various administrations. The anger and militancy of their
youths remains the most visible evidence that they are no longer willing to
endure the neglect," he said.
"Ohanaeze believes that the government,
especially the present one, is capable of reversing the situation so as to win
back the people of those areas in the interest of national unity and
development", he added.
"The issue of August 26 (the stay-at-home
directive) by MASSOB) has confirmed that MASSOB represents a sentiment that
cannot be ignored. But we must draw a distinction between a sentiment and a
reality. The sentiment represented by MASSOB has been induced by feeling of
deprivation and marginalisation among Ndigbo. "Ohanaeze therefore believes that
concrete steps by the Federal Government to address the issues that sustain
MASSOB sentiment will be a positive response and right step in the right
direction" Prof. Irukwu said.
Citing an example, the Ohanaeze president
stated that any positive step taken by the Federal Government to improve the
deplorable state of roads and other infrastructural facilities in the South East
will go some way toward assuaging the feelings that provide oxygen to the MASSOB.
However, Prof. Irukwu noted that Ndigbo do
not support the dismemberment of Nigeria as the rest can not abandon the country
now after all the contributions.
On the issue of Nigerian Federation, the
leadership of Ohaneze said that it believed in the concept of true federalism
maintaining that the present federal system in Nigeria is not a true one.
The apex body of Ndigbo insisted that the
earlier the country is restructured, the better for Nigeria.
It therefore supported the call for a
National Conference "because when there is disagreement in a family, the best
thing is to call for dialogue to resolve the issue."
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