Ohanaeze to northern elders: You are selfish
Apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has described as “very strange, the suggestion by Northern Elders Forum (NEF) that the 2023 presidential contest be thrown open to all aspirants from the six geo-political zones of the country.
Ohanaeze added that NEF was canvassing the position simply because it did not want power to rotate to the South, especially the Southeast, after the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari, next year.
The group said it was alarming that NEF, a body made up of elders, would be more interested in the quest for power while the country burns.
The Prof. George Obiozor-led group lamented that “ethnic, religious induced policies and injustice” were setting the country back.
Ohanaeze stated these in a statement at the weekend by its spokesman, Alex Ogbonnia.
It said the unprecedented insecurity, poverty, large numbers of internally displaced Nigerians which NEF acknowledged in its statement “are issues which have remained unabated because of ethnic and religious induced policies, injustice and more importantly, the inability to make the right choices.”
“It is therefore very strange that the elders instead of seeking a solution to the problems they have so identified, they (North elders) are busy strategising on how to destroy the vital values that have helped to lubricate a precarious balance in the country.”
Ohanaeze recalled that at in 1994, some Nigerian patriots conceived an article of faith and principle of rotation of power that guaranteed equity and inclusiveness for all the diverse components of the country.
It added: “Nigeria was structured into six geopolitical zones; namely, Southsouth, Southeast, Southwest, Northwest, Northcentral and Northeast. It was also agreed that political offices will be zoned or distributed among the zones in such a way that every zone will have a sense of belonging.
“Furthermore, the Presidency will rotate among the zones to promote peace, unity and progress in Nigeria.
“The NEF are aware that Nigeria has religiously followed the rotation and zoning principle since 1999 with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (SouthWest) as an elected President. Obasanjo, in keeping with the rotation principle, was handed over to the North in the person of former President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2007.
“At the death of Yar’Adua, a Southerner, specifically the Southsouth in the person of Dr Goodluck Jonathan was elected the President. Jonathan again, handed over to a Northerner, President Muhammadu Buhari whose second tenure of four years each will end in 2023.
“By the rotation and zoning principle that has been in operation in Nigeria, It is only fair that the presidency be zoned to the South, specifically the Southeast.
“It remains the moral duty of elders to guide the society on the path of truth and honour. It was Alex Tocqueville who admonished that ‘when the past no longer illuminates the future, the spirit walks in darkness.
“The NEF know full well that in the interest of peace, unity and corporate existence of Nigeria, we the elders must, as a matter of necessity, embrace equity and justice.
”It is therefore only fair that the Southeast should be supported to accede presidential power because what is good for the goose is, mutatis mutandis, good for the gander.
”It is also surprising that NEF is more enamoured of power than the veritable and conducive environment under which sustainable national development can be attained.
“For the avoidance of doubt, there is no country on earth that can progress under the dire straits and strains of inequity, injustice, mistrust, viciousness, braggadocio and predatory ethnocentrism. The above vices will surely engender crises, conflicts, economic downturn, unemployment, poverty, insecurity, kidnapping, banditry, etc.”
The statement lamented that all the ongoing shenanigans about zoning in Nigeria is because it is the turn of the Southeast to produce a president. This NEF knows.”
Ohanaeze lauded Obasanjo, Afenifere leader, Ayo Adebanjo; Ijaw National Leader, Edwin Clark and Dr. Pogu Bitrus for standing firmly on the side of history.
”We want to use this medium to salute the likes of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, Chief E K Clarke, Dr Pogu Bitrus and other leaders for their courage to stand by the right side of history.”
“We have supreme confidence in the inevitable natural phenomenon, that a broken leaf, after fluttering in the air must obey the law of gravity.”
Ohanaeze maintained that it is only President Muhammadu Buhari that has the burden of history to treat the South, especially the Southeast, as Chief Olusegun Obasanjo treated the North in 2007.
It also recalled that “Obasanjo against all pressures displayed honour and statesmanship when in 2007, he handed over to the North in the person of Yar’Adua.
Ohanaeze added: “Today, Buhari is the leader of the country. He pilots the ship of the state. It is hoped that he will anchor the ship at the appropriate bank.
“Without sounding immodest, the Ohaneze Ndigbo led by Prof. Obiozor stands on a firm wicket to assure Nigerians that an Igbo president has the Midas touch to turn around the Nigerian economy for the better.
“With an Igbo as president, all the indices of a fragile state that currently confront Nigeria will vanish for good.
“With an Igbo as president, it is an era of prosperity. Nigerians are witnesses to the highly accomplished cerebral Igbo technocrats with impressive track records of accomplishments that have indicated their interest to redeem Nigeria from a tailspin. Among them are men who have served Nigeria with uprightness and impeccable integrity.” Nation
