From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Northern elders have advised Igbo not to see 2023 as the only time they can produce president of Nigeria, saying they should not make enemies and spoil other opportunities in near future.
Specifically, two prominent northern elders, Tanko Yakassai, who is the chairman of Northern Elders’ Council and Anthony Sani, one time spokesman and secretary general of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) respectively, advised that Igbo nation should not play politics of do or die affairs in the 2023 presidential race because it is not the end of the road for them.
In a joint statement, replying to Farooq Kparogi on his advocacy for president of Igbo extraction, the two northern elders said after the civil war, which ended in 1970, the Igbo were rehabilitated, reconstructed and reintegrated into Nigerian national socio-economic system which made them felt belonged in nation building.
The elders further argued that for Igbo to feel belonged in national development, they have been occupying high ranking political positions since the country returned to democracy, and, therefore, advised them to refrain from politics of threatening to leave Nigeria if denied 2023 presidency.
“The end of the civil war ushered a ‘no victor, no vanquished’ pedestal, and gave birth to the 3Rs of ‘rehabilitation, reconstruction and reintegration’, aimed at inclusiveness of the Igbo into the Nigeria national unity. Since then, there have been consciously directed efforts to make the 3Rs more achievable. In fact, both the military and democratic governments have given the Igbo fair representations in the Federal Government and its agencies, such as vice president, Senate presidents, speakers, Secretary to the Government of the Federation , coordinating ministers, service chiefs, Central Bank of Nigeria governors and chairman of the ruling party.
“This solid integration of the Igbo into the Nigeria affairs had enabled them to settle unperturbed in various parts of the country, giving them the unlimited latitude to pursue their business activities, which currently run into substantial net-worth’s.
“Similarly, there are projects situated by the Federal Government (in pursuance of policy of reconstruction) in Igbo land (particularly the construction of the second Niger Bridge) to amplify and demonstrate government’s concern for the South East region.
“Conversely, when the Igbo threaten to leave Nigeria, if an Igbo president does not emerge in 2023; one wonders the wisdom and the basis of this agitation without facts and figures to justify the intuition.
‘Igbo, like any other Nigerians, are entitled to contest for the office of the president of the nation under the current multi-party democracy. To that end, they are expected to devise their winning game plans and use that to convince the Nigerian electorate to vote for one of their own.”