Sina Babasola
9 May 2004
analysis
Ibada — THE controversy over which of the geo-political zones should produce the person to succeed President Olusegun Obasanjo when his tenure expires in 2007 has continued with some leaders of the South-West zone dismissing the position adopted by the South-East and Northern governors on the matter.
The opposition of the South-West leaders to the South-East and Northern governors, both of whom are laying claim to the presidency in 2007, is predicated on the premise that merit, rather than place of origin, should be the main consideration to determine who succeeds Obasanjo.
The South West leaders admitted that it was premature to begin a debate on who to support in the presidential race but explained that the candidate most likely to have their support was one capable of carrying through Obasanjo administration reform programmes as well as protecting the interest of the Yoruba race.
The South-West leaders at the weekend spoke on the aegis of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) in Ibadan, Oyo State capital even as Governor Achike Udenwa of Imo State explained why the South East was insisting that it was the turn of Igbo to produce the next president.
"It is premature for us to say which zone YCE will support for presidential election come 2007, but merit will be our first consideration. We will look at the candidates and their programmes for the Nigerian nation, look at their programmes for the Yoruba nation. If their programmes tally with the objectives of the YCE, we will then decide on who has the necessary antecedents to really achieve those objectives and aspirations of Nigerians and the Yoruba nation.
"It is after this that we would make up our minds, we are not going to make up our minds based on the issues of zones or tribes," YCE acting general secretary, Dr. Kunle Olajide told Sunday Vanguard.
The group's scribe continued: "We are going to make up our minds on the personality of those contesting the election and the ability of the personality to deliver the goods for this country. Our support to the candidate will be irrespective of where the candidate comes from."
"What we want is a leader or a candidate who can lead Nigeria satisfactorily, we want somebody who can maintain the tempo of Obasanjo's economic reforms and introduce a lot of welfare schemes to make Nigerians happy, not an ethnic jingoist," he stated.
Olajide added; "YCE believes that the only zone that can stay out of the contest is the South-West. As far as we are concerned, any other zone in the country should be free to participate but that is not to say that any political party could not fashion out any arrangement of their own, I mean internal arrangement of their political party but as elders in Yoruba nation, we believe that we had had our own eight years and as such the presidency could move to any zone in the country."
Igbo adamant
Governor Achike Udenwa claimed weekend that the Igbo people had what it takes to realise their ambition on the 2007 presidential project but explained that they were planning to lobby other geo-political zones to further enhance their chances.
"It is very feasible and as to how we are getting about it, I will tell you immediately that we will get about it as any other person or ethnic group would get about his or their own collective project in Nigeria," the governor said.
"We have to appeal to our brothers and sisters from other geo-political zones of the country to understand that it is our turn to produce the president in 2007," Udenwa told Sunday Vanguard.
He continued: "Let's get the facts straight. There is no geo-political zone that can produce a president on its own. It is done in conjunction with other zones. So, we will go out to lobby for it. I see this collective project as being achievable through lobbying. In a presidential system, you simply lobby. We will go out to lobby people from other zones, to convince them that the Igboman is the best person right now, to become the president of Nigeria. I think we will go about it that way.
I can assure you, even as it is a truism, that a lot of people have said so many things about the project. We are laying claim to the presidential slot because our people want it. This sincere desire does not begin and end with the governors of the South East alone. The governors did not manufacture the dream. Our people mandated the governors to ask for it. We are working for and serving them and we believe that the project is very realizable.
"Now, take a look at this solid fact. Out of the 44 years since Nigeria gained independence, the South East has ruled this country for only seven months, by the late Major General Aguiyi Ironsi. The records are there. How can anybody tell us that it is not our turn? When will it be our turn? We believe it is our turn. It is completely our turn."
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