Say “A clear demonstration of the readiness of Nigerians to build a united and inclusive nation will be to zone the presidency to the south East in 2023.”
BY ANAYOCHUKWU AGBO
Nigerians from the six geo-political zones met at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, on Monday, April 25, to check out the quality of the presidential aspirants from the Southeast geo-political zone in all the parties.
The presidential aspirants in attendance were: Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State; Anyim Pius Anyim, a former Senate president; Senator Rochas Okorocha, former governor of Imo State; Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State; Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa; Chris Ngige, a former governor of Anambra State; Nwachukwu Anakwenze; Mrs Caroline Nwosu; Yahaya NDU and Bishop (Mrs) Offorkansi. Conspicuously missing was Ogbonnaia Onu, a former governor of Abia State and minister of science and technology, who has not declared any interest in the presidential race but is seen as a top hopeful for the All Progressive Congress, APC ticket.
These aspirants of Southeast extraction in all political parties, were showcased to Nigerians by an Igbo political mobilisation group, Nzuko Umuna, at the occasion named Greater Nigerian Conference, GNC, to convince other Nigerians that the Southeast has quality candidates to run Nigeria in 2023. Some critics have wrongly argued that the Southeast does not have quality presidential aspirants. The GNC was convened to strengthen the demand for the presidency to be zoned to the South East in 2023.
The aspirants were presented to the gathering and given three minutes to address the conference after video clips of their profiles were played.
Addressing the gathering that included surviving Nigeria nationalists Ayo Adebanjo, leader of Afenifere who has been a top advocate of Igbo presidency and Edwin Clark, Niger Delta leader; Peter Obi assured them, “My Presidency will return Nigeria to your glorious era.”
Responding to the lamentation of the 94 years old Afenifere leader who had bemoaned the state of Nigeria compared to his era as Zikist and later Awoist in the first and second republic, Obi explained that in those days Nigeria was producing but now they are sharing what other nations produced. Obi assured Adebanjo and other Nigerians of his age that his presidency will return Nigeria to a producing rather than sharing economy. He noted that the country is in bad shape and requires person with requisite experience and knowledge to save it hence his decision to join the race.
In his presentation, Pius Anyim Pius, the first Igbo aspirant to declare in PDP, noted that the conference was timely. “It is thoughtful. In this matter (of Presidency), experience is important, exposure is important and knowledge is important.”
Laying his credentials before the Conference and Nigerians, Anyim said, “All through my public service career, I have served in only the Presidency. My civil service career was in two parastatals in the Presidency. As President of the Senate, I worked with the President (of Nigeria) round the clock and as Secretary to the Government of the Federation, I was the engine room of the Presidency. My experience is cognate, my capacity is proven, my nationalist disposition is established and my knowledge of our country is profound.”
On his vision to rebuild, reunite and reposition Nigeria, Anyim said, “The challenges of Nigeria are political, economic and social. Most of the times, people isolate the economic challenges as the most urgent. But I want to emphasize that the most critical and urgent challenge of our country today is political which includes leadership. You have to have a politically stable country before you can build the economy. You have to have a country before you can have social cohesion. If I have the opportunity to lead this country, I will, working with Nigerians, build the needed consensus, to lay a new foundation upon which we will rebuild our nation”, Anyim promised.
He praised the conveners of the conference as well as non-Igbos, particularly Pa Ayo Adebanjo, Pa Edwin Clark and Dr Bitrus Pogu of the Middle Belt Forum for their consistent support for South East presidency in 2023. Clark, leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and Pa Adebanjo, leader of Pan Yoruba Cultural Group, Afenifere were the special guests of honour.
In his speech, Pa Adebanjo traced the political evolution of Nigeria from the colonial era and concluded that Nigerians, as a matter of national priority, need to uphold equity, fairness and justice: “A clear demonstration of the readiness of Nigerians to build a united and inclusive nation will be to zone the presidency to the south East in 2023” Pa Adebanjo counseled. Dr Bitrus Pogu, President of Middle Belt Forum, who was guest speaker at the Conference, as he spoke passionately in support of South East presidency.
Pogu reminded the conference that PDP, in particular, has no excuse to jettison zoning as some of their members from the Northern part of the country are now advocating. “When some people out of selfish political interests argue that zoning does not matter, it is necessary for us to tell them that zoning does matter. The PDP must be fair to the South East by zoning the presidency to the South East.” He urged Igbos to unite and work together in unity in order not to give room for them to be denied what rightly belongs to them in 2023.
Things are in disarray in both the ruling APC and opposition PDP in respect of where their presidential candidate should come from. Since democracy returned in 1999, the Southwest produced president, Olusegun Obasanjo – 1999 to 2007; Yemi Osinbajo – VP 2015 to 2023; South-South, VP and President, Goodluck Jonathan – 2007 to 2015; Northwest, Umar Yar’Adua – 2007 to 2010; Muhammadu Buhari – 2015 to 2023.
It has been agreed that the presidency should rotate between the South and North. As the pendulum swings to the South again in 2023, the Southeast, which is the only geo-political zone in the South that has not been president since 1999, is the right zone to produce the next president. Anything short of this may put Nigeria on the precarious road of eventual disintegration because of injustice.
