Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has given tacit support to the agitation by the Igbo of South East geopolitical zone to see someone from the South East become the next President of Nigeria.
It was gathered that Obasanjo told the association’s lobby group that sought his support for the 2023 Presidency that “the ball is in your court. I’ve done my bit; you have my support. But just play the game well.” The former President who seems to warm up to the Igbo in recent times was at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, within the week, where he chaired the maiden edition of the symposium of the Emeka Anyaoku Institute for International Studies and Diplomacy. Governor Willie Obiano was on hand to receive him. He later went to Owerri, Imo State, where the Governor, Hope Uzodimma, hosted him to a dinner during which a birthday cake was cut for him.
He headed to Umuahia, Abia State, the following day, to pay condolence visits to the families of Nigeria’s former Head of State, General Thomas Aguiyi Ironsi, and Dr. Michael Okpara, former Premier of Eastern Nigeria, over the death of their matriarchs. But the romance started with a high-powered delegation of Ohanaeze Ndigbo led by its Secretary General, Ambassador Okey Emuchay, to the ex-President’s 85th birthday celebrations in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
At the occasion, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization surprised him with a birthday cake in a way that made the former president confess that he had not been so honoured by any ethnic nationality or organization since he left office some 15 years ago. He, then, sought to be inducted as an honourary member of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, a request the body said would hold in Enugu at a later date.
In a paper he delivered at an international symposium held to mark his birthday celebrations on March 5, with “Africa Narrative with Nigeria Situation,” as its theme, Obasanjo argued that there was nothing wrong in an Igbo becoming President of Nigeria in 2023. He cited example with how he, as a military head of state, in 1979 handed over power to a democratically elected government led by President Shehu Shagari and Dr. Alex Ekwueme, as the Vice President of Nigeria. The point he was trying to make, he said, is, if barely nine years after the civil war his government considered the Igbo fit for the positions of Vice President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, in the person of Edwin Umezoke, among others, why can’t the tribe be trusted with power after 53 years?
He also noted that his government adopted rotation and sharing formula for six key party political offices and government offices among the six geopolitical zones, and this stood the country and his party in good stead. He said: “it was the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) policy that made it inadvisable to have a candidate from the South succeed me after my eight years in office as President.” He emphasized that, “federal character, rotation of power and such other measures are meant to help our nation-building process and more sure-footedly, move Nigeria forward.” He, therefore, cautioned that “riding over these measures rudely, shoddily and roughly cannot augur well for our nation-building process and progress.”
The former President reiterated his stance when the founder of New Nigeria Group (NNG) and presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, paid Obasanjo a courtesy visit in his Abeokuta, Ogun State country home. He said: “Beyond bringing unity to Nigeria or being the cement that holds the country together, I believe that South-Easterners can model hard work and entrepreneurship. That will help in wealth creation and in the fight against poverty, which is ravaging Nigeria.”
He told Ohuabunwa that running for the office of the president of Nigeria was a tough job but expressed happiness that he (Ohuabunwa) has endured till date and said he was looking forward to the final realisation of his vision to see Nigeria fully united and restored as a country which all Nigerians would be proud to call theirs.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Ohuabunwa called on Southerners, particularly the easterners, to aspire to the office of the president because that is what had been done in the past to maintain the country’s unity. “We had southern and northern protectorates which came together to form Nigeria and since then, our founding fathers had always wanted to maintain peace by ensuring that there is rotation and that we share things,” he said. “That is why the federal character principle is in the country’s constitution. We are a nation of diverse ethnicities and geographies, and the only way we can maintain proper peace is to ensure that everybody is treated fairly. And, rotation and power-sharing are some of the methods of ensuring inclusiveness and making sure that Nigerians feel that they are part of it.”
Describing the former president as a phenomenon and conscience of the country, he added that as a president, he showed the highest level of not only detribalization but also fairness and equity. “He is the conscience of this nation and we must admit it,” he said. “He speaks his mind. He is not an angel and he can’t be perfect. But I have never seen a man as bold, audacious, and also, with a heart of humanity as Obasanjo.”
In similar development, National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Chief Alex Ogbonnia told Saturday Sun that the clamour for a Nigerian President from the South East would continue until the earth quakes and the deaf hear. It was in furtherance of that goal, he said, that the association used the SMBLF’s meeting held on Thursday in Abuja to canvass support for a President of Igbo extraction. A participant in the meeting who didn’t want his name mentioned said while the Forum would continue to insist that the Presidency be zoned to the South, their actual intention is to see the slot go to the South East.
“We thank Chief Edwin Clark and all members of Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Chief Ayo Adebanjo and the Afenifere, and members of Middle Belt led by Dr. Pogu Bitrus, for their commitment and support to the South East aspiration,” Ogbonnia said. “We have also reached out to the Forum of Northern Elders for Unity (FNEU) led by Alhaji Baba Mala, Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum (YRLF), led by Mr. Akin Malaolu; the Arewa Support Group for Igbo Presidency led by Mustapha Imam; the leadership of South-East Muslims Elders’ Council, (SEMEC); General Ishola Williams and several other groups and courageous dignitaries. Ohanaeze Ndigbo is delighted that Nigeria has a free spirit like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo does. He is simply a cosmic agent who has delivered a powerful message from the angels. He has spoken like an elder statesman and history will surely judge him most kindly.”
(The Sun)
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