2015 is still far off, but it seems the average Nigerian politician is not interested in what he would use the political office he is occupying to do for the Nigerian masses that elected him.
I was therefore flabbergasted and puzzled when I heard the so-called Igbo leaders endorsing President Jonathan even when Mr. President is yet to declare his intentions to run for re-election in 2015! This raises a number of questions for the Ndigbo: are we going into political extinction in Nigeria? When are we going to stop playing second fiddle in the affairs of this Nation? Can Ndigbo continue to throw their support at someone even when he has not solicited for the support by not making his intentions on 2015 known yet at the detriment of their own ambition of having Nigerian president of Igbo Extraction come 2015? When shall we Igbo stop being at the mercy of other people in this country? When shall Ndigbo stop approaching politics with the mindset of a beggar; instead start seeing themselves as major stakeholders in the power game of this entity called Nigeria? What impression are we giving to our children and children unborn that; we are spectators; not players in political matrix of this Nation? Are we indirectly telling other tribes that Ndigbo can be easily bought over by mere political appointments? Answers to these thought-provoking questions will go a long way in shaping the destiny and political future of Ndigbo.
At the risk of being branded a critic of President Jonathan, I personally campaigned and voted for him during the 2011 general elections, because we the Igbo youths saw him as a symbol of change and breath of fresh air; which he used one of his campaign slogans during the elections. I am not against Ndigbo endorsing Goodluck Jonathan as our candidate come 2015, but it is not in the best interest of Ndigbo to endorse someone who has not declared to vie for re-election in 2015, it would portray Ndigbo as political neophytes who are at the verge of committing political suicide! Some of those parading themselves as Igbo leaders who go about endorsing someone prematurely are not doing so for the interest of Ndigbo in general; but to achieve their personal aggrandizement through political appointments and securing of juicy contracts from Presidency.
The attention of Igbo youth as been drawn to the way Igbo political office holders are being disgraced out of office with no just cause, the recent forced resignation of Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji can attest to that! Martins Luther King, Jnr. said, “There is a time when silence becomes a betrayal”, there is a time when silence is not golden! The time has come for Igbo youths to stand up against the injustice being meted to Igbo political office holders by those who see Nigerian as animal farm owned by their fathers! The former national Chairman of PDP, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo was made to resign the way the Prof. Barth Nnaji did by those who see Igbos as third class citizens; not even second class citizens in this Lord Lugard’s forced marriage called Nigerian. Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo was made to live office after working tirelessly day and night to organize the most transparent, freest and fairest presidential primary ever held in the history of PDP. He stirred the ship of the party in one of the most turbulent period the party has ever witnessed when the issue ZONING was ravaging PDP like wild fire! He also tamed the roaring lion called ZONING that nearing tore PDP apart and also gave Mr. President a soft landing that enabled him to contest and won the party’s ticket against PDP’s zoning arrangement when Dr Nwodo made a historic statement that, “PDP retains zoning; but Jonathan is free to contest.” After all this effort, the only thing those who see the Igbo as out ast used in paying him back was to ensure his exit as the chairman of the party! If the present chairman of the party is a little bit unlucky to have come from South-east, the arraignment of his son in the subsidy scam could have ensured his exit as the chairman of the party. If Doyin Okupe was Igbo, the alleged involvement of his company in a contract scam could have prompted the president to sack him; but he is still there as if nothing happened! The present Minister of petroleum, under whose nose the highest scam in the history of Nigeria was committed is still there in the office as if she does not give a damn! The Board of NNPC was dissolved, but she was retained as the chairman of the present Board, what an irony! If it were Prof. Barth Nnaji, they will describe it as conflict of interest! This is marginalization to the highest order! Even in family, conflict of interest does occur, sometimes between a man and his wife or father and son. Can a man divorce his wife because of a little conflict of interest? A company belonging to one of the ex-militant leaders was handed over the security of our maritime industry through a fictitious concessionary agreement backed by an executive fait from Aso Rock, but on one raised an eye brow! Please, I would like to know whether conflict of interest has a different dictionary meaning when an Igbo man is involved. The time has come for all Igbo in this forced union called Nigeria to stand up for their rights, because, all men were born equal in rights and dignity,” apologies to Martin Luther King, Jnr.
2015 represent a very critical period in the political life of Ndigbo, we cannot give out our support to any person or group again until the injustice being done against Igbo race is reversed! The conditions for Jonathan to regain the confidence and, possibly, the support of Ndigbo in particular and Nigerians in general are:
(1) Immediate convocation of a Sovereign National Conference.
(2 ) Performing positively in office to fulfil his electoral promises, not just for us, he Igbos, but for every Nigerian.
(3) The appointment of an Igbo man as the Minister of FCT. Since the history of Nigerian, an Igbo man has never being appointed as the Minister of FCT! More than 60% of properties and businesses being owned and operated in Abuja are run by the Igbo! This prompted the former FCT Minister, Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i to describe Abuja as the 6th State of Ndigbo; because higher dominance of the City. Igbo are highest tax payers in FCT, but the Igbo have no say in the day-day running of Abuja! Majority of the houses being demolished in Abuja are owned by Ndigbo! A particular ethnic group has been dominating the affairs of FCT administration for several decades now!
(4) Ending Corruption and Fuel Importation in Nigeria.
(5) Ending the menace of Boko Haram, kidnapping and other vices in Nigeria. The major concern of the south-east can be best addressed, positively and concretely, through a Sovereign National Conference; but not through recurring empty and unfulfilled promises. Unfortunately, Igbo leaders are only interested in routing for whoever awards them contracts or offer them political office appointments. We do not have to be president in 2015 in order to solve our teething problems.
Chidiebere is of Progressive Igbo Youth of Nigeria
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