MY THOUGHTS (PART 2)
Now the die is cast. The victory of Buhari in the just concluded APC primaries is in fact a serious sign of contradiction in the present political currents in Nigeria. I do not have the power to question the decision of APC to nominate the man who has been severally rejected by Nigerians for the same position again. It is their freedom and right to elect whoever they believe in. The confirmation of president Jonathan as the flag bearer of PDP's presidential bid is also a sound political decision. To do otherwise would be passing a vote of no confidence on the president by his party. However by presenting him as a sole contender for the number one position, by a consensus decision means that PDP takes responsibility of his leadership.
As I said in the part one of this 'thought'', I want to state again that I am an Igboman, an "Okoroman to the core. This means that I share in the tears of my people, I share their pains, and I hurt immensely by their selective dementia when it comes to our collective interests. I want us to try to be a little bit objective here. Let us answer this question: "what is/are the core Igbo issues in Nigeria since the war ended"?
1. Ndigbo have been crying since the end of the civil war of marginalization at the federal level. it is evident in all the military regimes in Nigeria that we the Igbos were treated as booties of war since 1970. Ever since we have cried against perceived injustices in the such decrees like "the federal character", " the quoter system", and exclusion from the highest decision making body in Nigeria. This changed in 1979 when NPN came into power with our own son as the vice president. The closet we came to power in Nigeria. It is remarkable to note that this feat was only possible under a party with a Hausa man as the president. Today how close are we to the corridors of power? Just before you start chronicling your plump ministerial appointments consider this.
2. Since the war ended Ndigbo have been crying out and aloud against the ''abandoned property'' decree. Till date no government has considered it worth giving attention. Of course the successive military regimes are largely to blame for this punitive measure against a people who had the audacity to demand for freedom. It is part of the expectation of every Igbo man that one day under a civilian regime the issue will be resolved. OBJ gave this a shut when he established the Justice Oputa panel. That panel died a natural death. If PDP loves us it is only right that the issue of the abandoned property be debated as a national issue. For 16 years of PDP in power, and 6 years of Jonathan's presidency nothing of such has been debated. What type of "Ebele Azikiwe" is GEJ? Suppose Buhari becomes repentant, and convinces APC stakeholders on the need to discuss the abrogation of that punitive decree and return all the seized Igbo properties would Ndigbo still reject him? Just before you answer let us first consider why it is not an issue under PDP regime. Let me state here that there is no difference between Issac Boro and GEJ. Both share the same ideology and the same blood. Let us also remember that the current senate president is a recipient of the abandoned property saga. In fact according to the revelation of OBJ at the Oputa panel, David Mark was the architect of that decree. Now you see why the issue cannot be discussed under PDP regime.
3. Another issue of collective importance to Ndigbo is the 3rs as the conditions under the seize fire agreement was predicated. Reconstruction, Reconciliation, and Rehabilitation of the Eastern states of Nigeria. Out of this three only one was attempted under the Shehu Sagari regime. Ekwueme became the VP just 9 years after the civil war. An Igboman had a national party NPP and was nationally acclaimed. Only in this dispensation do we witness a political party being snatched from the founder. A party where the founder does not even have the grace of being the BOT chairman. A party where the founder was not the flag bearer of the party. Only in PDP that we have the conglomerate of Igbo politicians being crashed into acting as glorified house helps. A little travel to most of the villages where the military might were felt during the war, the scares of the devastation of the war are still there and bleeding. Go to uzoakali resettlement center and see for yourself the pain and agony of the ex soldiers, our forgotten victims of the civil war. What has your GEJ and PDP government done to change the situation? Today most of the federal roads constructed before, and destroyed during the civil war are still death traps, never reconstructed. If Buhari became a political born again and promises to implement these Rs would you still reject him?
4. The issue of the frequent and unprovoked killings and looting of Igbo properties in the North. We are all witness to the fact that Ndigbo living and doing business in the North have been living under the valley of death left at the faith of Muslim fanatics. No federal government since 1970 had made any serious attempt to protect the lives of the Igbos in the North. Even within the 16 years of PDP regime, and 6 years of GEJ regime no one has fought for the cause of the safety of the Igbos in the North. They killed us and looted our properties. No one has been convicted, and no compensation paid to the victims. Should Buhari's APC decide to hold any governor of any state where innocent blood is shed responsible, and map out compensation package payable from the state fund to families of the victims would you still reject him?
5. Again let me ask: When were the Igbo core issues in Nigeria reduced to plump ministerial appoints, appointment as SSFG, and becoming DGNs of federal establishments? I see the SSFG as the dumbest of all the federal appoints. What are the powers of the SSFG? How can he plead the cause of his people? Has he ever used that office to advance this cause? How about the so-called ministerial positions? Except perhaps Stella Odua who under her ministerial era got Enugu the status of international airport, what are the remarkable achievements of the so-called PDP ministers of Igbo extractions? The fact is that under PDP Ndigbo are being pampered like the Chinese toys in the mall waving with open mouth thinking that it is in charge of the situation. The Igbos are still impotent in all the ministries they occupy in Nigeria under GEJ's regime. Before you condemn me for this tell me where those ministers, like the petroleum minister, Ngozi Okonjo, and others were when the decision of building 5 new refinery factories was made, and none was allocated to be built in any south eastern state? Powerless and glorified servants.
Considering the above, I will appeal to Ohanaeze Ndigbo to start negotiating with Buhari and see if our demands would be accommodated in his regime. If he will accommodate us I see no reason why we should not give him a try. GEJ has perfected his art of deceit. In 2009, he begged the North to allow him finish Ya'radua's term and promised not to contest for 2011. They allowed him. In 2011 GEJ derailed from that promise. To shore up enough votes to defeat Buhari, he ran to Igbos. He promised that if voted into power, he would go into exile if after 2 years he did not finish building the 2nd Niger bridge. He also promised that he would support Igbo presidency in 2015 if voted. He promised Nigerians that he would not contest for the second term 2015. This president has failed in all his promises. Why do we still consider him trustworthy? I am still wondering why the Ezu river incident was not investigated. I am still waiting to hear how we are being protected under this PDP's regime.
Change is what we need. It is would amount to collective suicide politically for Ndibo to give PDP a block vote again. Let me tell those being sentimental about this whole to stop telling me about ministerial appoints. Being the ministers of defense, petroleum, and power were never included in the core Igbo issues. Those are personal gifts of the presidency to his supporters. I have spoken. To be continued.
Now the die is cast. The victory of Buhari in the just concluded APC primaries is in fact a serious sign of contradiction in the present political currents in Nigeria. I do not have the power to question the decision of APC to nominate the man who has been severally rejected by Nigerians for the same position again. It is their freedom and right to elect whoever they believe in. The confirmation of president Jonathan as the flag bearer of PDP's presidential bid is also a sound political decision. To do otherwise would be passing a vote of no confidence on the president by his party. However by presenting him as a sole contender for the number one position, by a consensus decision means that PDP takes responsibility of his leadership.
As I said in the part one of this 'thought'', I want to state again that I am an Igboman, an "Okoroman to the core. This means that I share in the tears of my people, I share their pains, and I hurt immensely by their selective dementia when it comes to our collective interests. I want us to try to be a little bit objective here. Let us answer this question: "what is/are the core Igbo issues in Nigeria since the war ended"?
1. Ndigbo have been crying since the end of the civil war of marginalization at the federal level. it is evident in all the military regimes in Nigeria that we the Igbos were treated as booties of war since 1970. Ever since we have cried against perceived injustices in the such decrees like "the federal character", " the quoter system", and exclusion from the highest decision making body in Nigeria. This changed in 1979 when NPN came into power with our own son as the vice president. The closet we came to power in Nigeria. It is remarkable to note that this feat was only possible under a party with a Hausa man as the president. Today how close are we to the corridors of power? Just before you start chronicling your plump ministerial appointments consider this.
2. Since the war ended Ndigbo have been crying out and aloud against the ''abandoned property'' decree. Till date no government has considered it worth giving attention. Of course the successive military regimes are largely to blame for this punitive measure against a people who had the audacity to demand for freedom. It is part of the expectation of every Igbo man that one day under a civilian regime the issue will be resolved. OBJ gave this a shut when he established the Justice Oputa panel. That panel died a natural death. If PDP loves us it is only right that the issue of the abandoned property be debated as a national issue. For 16 years of PDP in power, and 6 years of Jonathan's presidency nothing of such has been debated. What type of "Ebele Azikiwe" is GEJ? Suppose Buhari becomes repentant, and convinces APC stakeholders on the need to discuss the abrogation of that punitive decree and return all the seized Igbo properties would Ndigbo still reject him? Just before you answer let us first consider why it is not an issue under PDP regime. Let me state here that there is no difference between Issac Boro and GEJ. Both share the same ideology and the same blood. Let us also remember that the current senate president is a recipient of the abandoned property saga. In fact according to the revelation of OBJ at the Oputa panel, David Mark was the architect of that decree. Now you see why the issue cannot be discussed under PDP regime.
3. Another issue of collective importance to Ndigbo is the 3rs as the conditions under the seize fire agreement was predicated. Reconstruction, Reconciliation, and Rehabilitation of the Eastern states of Nigeria. Out of this three only one was attempted under the Shehu Sagari regime. Ekwueme became the VP just 9 years after the civil war. An Igboman had a national party NPP and was nationally acclaimed. Only in this dispensation do we witness a political party being snatched from the founder. A party where the founder does not even have the grace of being the BOT chairman. A party where the founder was not the flag bearer of the party. Only in PDP that we have the conglomerate of Igbo politicians being crashed into acting as glorified house helps. A little travel to most of the villages where the military might were felt during the war, the scares of the devastation of the war are still there and bleeding. Go to uzoakali resettlement center and see for yourself the pain and agony of the ex soldiers, our forgotten victims of the civil war. What has your GEJ and PDP government done to change the situation? Today most of the federal roads constructed before, and destroyed during the civil war are still death traps, never reconstructed. If Buhari became a political born again and promises to implement these Rs would you still reject him?
4. The issue of the frequent and unprovoked killings and looting of Igbo properties in the North. We are all witness to the fact that Ndigbo living and doing business in the North have been living under the valley of death left at the faith of Muslim fanatics. No federal government since 1970 had made any serious attempt to protect the lives of the Igbos in the North. Even within the 16 years of PDP regime, and 6 years of GEJ regime no one has fought for the cause of the safety of the Igbos in the North. They killed us and looted our properties. No one has been convicted, and no compensation paid to the victims. Should Buhari's APC decide to hold any governor of any state where innocent blood is shed responsible, and map out compensation package payable from the state fund to families of the victims would you still reject him?
5. Again let me ask: When were the Igbo core issues in Nigeria reduced to plump ministerial appoints, appointment as SSFG, and becoming DGNs of federal establishments? I see the SSFG as the dumbest of all the federal appoints. What are the powers of the SSFG? How can he plead the cause of his people? Has he ever used that office to advance this cause? How about the so-called ministerial positions? Except perhaps Stella Odua who under her ministerial era got Enugu the status of international airport, what are the remarkable achievements of the so-called PDP ministers of Igbo extractions? The fact is that under PDP Ndigbo are being pampered like the Chinese toys in the mall waving with open mouth thinking that it is in charge of the situation. The Igbos are still impotent in all the ministries they occupy in Nigeria under GEJ's regime. Before you condemn me for this tell me where those ministers, like the petroleum minister, Ngozi Okonjo, and others were when the decision of building 5 new refinery factories was made, and none was allocated to be built in any south eastern state? Powerless and glorified servants.
Considering the above, I will appeal to Ohanaeze Ndigbo to start negotiating with Buhari and see if our demands would be accommodated in his regime. If he will accommodate us I see no reason why we should not give him a try. GEJ has perfected his art of deceit. In 2009, he begged the North to allow him finish Ya'radua's term and promised not to contest for 2011. They allowed him. In 2011 GEJ derailed from that promise. To shore up enough votes to defeat Buhari, he ran to Igbos. He promised that if voted into power, he would go into exile if after 2 years he did not finish building the 2nd Niger bridge. He also promised that he would support Igbo presidency in 2015 if voted. He promised Nigerians that he would not contest for the second term 2015. This president has failed in all his promises. Why do we still consider him trustworthy? I am still wondering why the Ezu river incident was not investigated. I am still waiting to hear how we are being protected under this PDP's regime.
Change is what we need. It is would amount to collective suicide politically for Ndibo to give PDP a block vote again. Let me tell those being sentimental about this whole to stop telling me about ministerial appoints. Being the ministers of defense, petroleum, and power were never included in the core Igbo issues. Those are personal gifts of the presidency to his supporters. I have spoken. To be continued.
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