By Kelechi Nwoba
Chief Chaka Nweze, an All Progressives Congress (APC) Stalwart in Ebonyi and a staunch supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari, has advised Igbos to embrace the idea of seeking an Igbo Presidency under a united Nigeria instead of muting that of secession.
Nweze, who was the Pioneer APC Secretary in the state, said in an interview in Abakaliki that an Igbo presidency will provide the locus for the correction of all cases of imbalance the race complains under the existing entity of Nigeria.
The former Executive Chairman of Ohaozara Local Government Area of the state under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said that complaints of marginalization; ranging from political leadership, civil service, regional infrastructural development up to the entire security architecture of the country can be corrected with an Igbo Presidency under a united Nigeria.
“Most Igbos feel vulnerable within the Nigerian nation and though this assertion may be plausible and apt, I do not think secession is the best for the Igbos considering their huge investment scattered all over the country.
“Besides, more than 70 percent of the over 70 million Ibos are not living within the south east geopolitical zone, which will be a very huge burden to manage if we secede.
“We also do not have the prerequisite technological know-how to manage the high density settlement that will be orchestrated by the secession, so secession may not be an option for now,” he said.
The Former Caretaker Chairman of the same LGA said that the Igbos should therefore demand for the presidency of the country for proper national cohesion and integration in the country’s scheme.
“We should however realise that nobody gives presidency to anyone or zone as those seeking the position needs to play the necessary politics of becoming the president of a country.
“We therefore need to dialogue, negotiate, build bridges of confidence across the other geopolitical zones and above all, belong to the right national political party of the moment.
At the inception of the 4th republic, the PDP was dominated by Igbos and the late Former Vice President of the counThe president.
“It was obvious then that the military was willing to hand over to PDP and not APP as it were. That didn't happen because he lost in a dramatic circumstance which buttresses the fact that power is not given but taken.
“The PDP ruled from 1999 to 2015 with the highest position attained by the Igbos was a tumultuous reign of Senate Presidency between 1999—2007 in which all the five states produced the senate president while other zones maintained absolute decorum in the various positions they held.
“By sheer providence and divine intervention, the APC took over the reins of affairs in the country in 2015, which has offered a new hope of integrating/connecting the Igbos properly into national politics. so the race should not continue ‘foot-dragging’ in any other party but fully embrace the ideals of the APC,” he said.
The Former Vice Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in the state said that the Igbos should in that respect start searching for a candidate that will turn these aspirations into reality and make the other segments of the country, regret not giving the Presidency chance to the Igbos.
“The Governors of the South East ably led by Engr. David Umahi of Ebonyi should immediately commence structural confidence building and dialogue among relevant political, social and economic stakeholders across the zone to nominate a candidate that will lead the front and achieve all objectives of the zone.
“Umahi having wittingly built confidence with the center (Federal Government) over time should lead his colleagues from the south east and begin to work out modalities to integrate the Igbos in the main stream national politics.
“This will be through answering the clarion call of well meaning Igbos to join APC so that God forbid, if president eludes us in 2023, we can be sure of it in 8 years after and Nigeria will be better for it
“His numerous infrastructural and economic strides in the state place him in a vantage position of replicating such feats if given the chance at the national level.
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