Dickson Okafor
Chief Don-Metche Nnadiekwe is the Chairman Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria (AMDON), Lagos State Chapter. He appeals to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) not to shortchange Igbo in the contest of the 9th Senate presidency.
Igbo has signified interest for the President of the Senate, what is the implication if South-East fails to get it?
It was a repeat of the mistake of 2015 when we voted former President Goodluck Jonathan without negotiating the collective interest of Igbo and it cost us juicy positions in the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration this four years. That was why I called on Igbo to align with the ruling party so that we can be in the same table where the nation’s cake is shared. To some people, the rejection of APC at the poll by Igbo could be a costly mistake, but to many it is an expression of unity. However, this can be attributed to the fact that Peter Obi who was the running mate of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is an Igbo man. In spite of that President Muhammadu Buhari got a significant number of votes in the South-East. Now that election is over, I call on the APC- led administration to give Igbo sense of belonging by balancing political positions for the sake of equity and justice.
In politics, winner always take all, many will argue that sensitive positions should be allotted to those that worked to ensure the party emerged victorious. Don’t you think so?
Nigeria is a peculiar nation where every interest must be protected in order to sustain unity. Like I said earlier, you don’t expect Igbo to reject their son, Peter Obi just as Yoruba didn’t reject Vice Yemi Osinbajo even the Hausa Fulani could not have voted against President Buhari in the just concluded presidential election. Perhaps, if Obi did not run with Atiku, Igbo would have voted massively for President Buhari. The re-election of Buhari has offered Mr. President another opportunity to prove to Igbo that he is the father of the nation and I assure you that if he carries Igbo along Nigeria will be better for it. Don’t forget that President Buhari got more votes in the South-East in 2019 than in the previous elections. To me, that is an improvement.
Buhari ran the presidential election twice with Igbo as his running mate, yet Igbo did not vote for him, what makes you think the people of South-East will vote APC in future elections?
I would say that it was not God’s time for Buhari to become the president then. In 2011, Buhari also used Pastor Tunde Bakare as his running mate and the Yoruba did not vote for him. My brother, God’s time is the best. Don’t forget that Buhari’s presidency came as a result of an alliance between the major opposition political parties in 2015. It was the first political alliance between the North and South West since independence and that produced Buhari as the president. And the same alliance made APC retain power in the centre in 2019. So, the only thing Igbo need from President Buhari is an assurance that in spite of the fact that they did not vote for APC, Mr. President would carry them along by ensuring that positions and appointments are evenly distributed for the sake of equity. However, you cannot throw away your child into an evil forest because he made a mistake. Igbo believes in one united Nigeria and should be appreciated for that.
The one in contention now is the position of the Senate president, North-East and South-East are laying claim to it. Do you see the Igbo making it?
That is a litmus test for the president if indeed he is a true patriot and father of the nation. Nigeria is standing on a tripod, and positions must reflect this. Hausa has taken the presidency and the Yoruba took the vice president slot and Igbo should produce the Senate president. We were denied the position in 2015 because the region had no ranking Senator in APC, but now we have them. The North cannot have the president and the Senate president at the same time and expect Igbo not to agitate. Buhari and APC must not justify the insinuation that APC and Buhari are anti-Igbo by allowing the position to go to the North-East or any part of the North.
Uwajumogu is a tested lawmaker. He was former Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly. The Senate president may not emerge through voting, but through harmonisation since APC has the majority in the 9th Senate and can select the leadership of the Senate. Orji Uzor Kalu is also a ranking member. He was in the House of Representatives too.
What if APC zones the presidency to South-East in 2023?
That will amount to empty promise if the party could not maintain the tripod that has been in existence before now, how are you sure that in 2023 they will zone the presidency to South-East? At least, if APC wants to zone the presidency to Igbo in 2023, it should start preparing the region through zoning the Senate presidency position to us ahead of 2023. Don’t forget that the Yoruba have shown interest in the 2023 presidency too. So, I don’t see the possibility of Igbo presidency in 2023 when we cannot be allowed to produce the Senate president for the 9th Senate. To me, Igbo presidency may be a mirage.
Don’t you think it behooves on Igbo Senators to ensure the position does not elude the region instead of placing the whole burden on President Buhari?
Like you observed earlier, we have just two APC Senators from the entire South-East. Yes, I expect Senators of other political parties from the region to speak with one voice and join forces to lobby their colleagues from other zones to support their quest. They should know that elections are over it is time for governance and all hands must be on deck to ensure South-East gets what rightful belong to us. Igbo federal lawmakers should not see themselves from political party divide but as one people with common agenda which is to attract federal presence to Igbo land. A situation whereby people from other geo political zones try to take advantage of Igbo politically will no longer be accepted.