In what appears to be a strategic move, the South-east foremost political action platform, the C21, is set to lead top ranking democratic politicians of Igbo stock to the ongoing mega party talks between major parties that may culminate in the formation of a mega opposition party to battle the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 general elections.
A clear indication in this direction was made known by the president of the group, Senator Annie Okonkwo, in a statement signed by his media aide, Mr Collins Steve Ugwu.
In the statement made available to THISDAY in Lagos, yesterday, Sen. Okonkwo stated that "the flourishing momentum of alliance discussions between major parties in Nigeria to meet the yearnings of Nigerians for a government that will truly govern in 2015, has a welcome window for the broad republican convictions that drive the Igbo nation's political and economic pursuits."
According to Okonkwo,"the sensitivity of all committed Igbo democrats to actualise our dream for a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction necessitates that every avenue for the articulation of this constitutional imperative must be explored creatively and pursued vigorously."
He emphasised that "after over 13 years of stifling political dominance of PDP with little or nothing as accomplishments , it is time to compel the chicken to roost by the mighty will of the people through a beautifully consummated alliances and coalitions."
Okonkwo insisted that "the presidency of this country is our collective political patrimony and therefore, the privileged access to its cockpit should be by worthy political pilots only."
According to him, " regrettably in this 13 years of rape and plunder, our deserved democratic adventure have had no smooth flights at all, as it has been characterised by cancelled flights most times, and frightening crash landings at every attempt for real take-off.
"Surely, these gyrations without movement cannot be the rhythm Nigerians invested on, because our dividends have remained dangerously on the red almost permanently."
Okonkwo therefore prayed the leading lights of the alliance talks to be conscious of their delicate redemption responsibility to Nigerians because, according to him, "they must not only make us fly now, but guarantee that we cruise till we recover lost grounds."
The C21 president then cautioned that the groundswell of public support and sentiments for this eventual merger should be seen as a capital vote for them to sink their differences and swim safely together. "This is because togetherness is political strength, and every ounce of strength they will need, if they must navigate the tempest of intrigues and manipulations that the bleeding PDP will liberally put on their way," he said.
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The so called C21 is nothing but a spoiler.An Igbo President will neither serve the interest of Ndigbo nor that of Nigerians in general. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo eight years Presidency was nothing but a dismal failure because of the imbalances created by those Hausa/Fulani despots and rogue usurpers of power.For the same reason,all attempts of our current Christian President is becoming a failure. Unless those imbalances created by those illiterate Hausa/Fulani bandit are removed,our Commonwealth will forever remain ungovernable and indeed an Estate of Usman Dan Fodio. A united and democratic Nigeria favours us Ndigbo.We are clever,hard woking.A modern Nigeria is the creation of the Ndigbo.There was once a legendary Igbo,the mole of Nigerian independent struggle,Mazi Alvan Ikoku.To gain independence for our nation Dr.Nnamdi Azikiwe sold out to Sir Alhaji Ahmadu Bello in order to get him on bord for our independency.Inspite of the misgivings and oppositions from other founding fathers of our nation, the sage, Chief Awolowo and Chief Enahoro,Dr.Azikiwe gave in to Ahmadu Bello imposible and very undemocratic demands.Today we Igbo are the very victims of the blunder commited by our Igbo founding father,Dr.Nnamdi Azikiwe. Our Commonwealth can not be the way the Hausa/Fulani muslims want it.By our culture we Igbos are republicans. Every Igboman or woman is a king or a queen.'Igbo bu Eze. Igbo ewe Eze.' Lord Frederick Lugard's 1914 Almalgamation is due to expires next year.The so called C12 should mobilize for either a referendum or for a Sovereign National Conference.Prtesident Goodluck Ebele Jonathan must remain in power beyónd 2015 in order to oversee our transtion of either a new Nigeria or ou disintegeration.The Hausa/ Fulani who have lorded it over us,must never maintain their hegemony over our children anmd our posaterity
Be careful about parochialism in politics. This is the only problems Igbos have in Nigeria. Ideological and political segmentation can have serious unintended consequences. If your objective is to gain the presidency, you must begin now to think outside the "box". You cannot win the Nigerian Presidency if you're pre-occupied with your "Igboness". You must begin now to think more "inclusively", rather than having your platform be drowned by sheer focus on anything and everything "Igbo". You do not arrive at a consensus by looking at Nigeria's problems though the prism of an Igbo definition of what Nigeria ought to be; but rather on what Nigeria should be for all of its citizens. Forging a regional alliance requires sometimes, horse trading or what is described as a "give and take". You can never do it alone. To attempt to do it alone would create an automatic alienation. It is even evident that most Igbos can't see eye to eye on anything, let alone having the ambition to become a Nigerian President. This would be an impossibility, just like America would never allow a Jew, a Mexican, a Chinese or a Japanese become president, no matter how hard they try. However, it would be much easier for an American Black to be president, simply because they do not pose the kinds of threat through economic domination that the above groups pose. However, the precariousness of an Igbo presidency can only be avoided if the Igbos learn to be more inclusive than they have always been. Much of what has derailed the Igbo political ambition has been seeped deeply in their mindset of a me, me, me culture. The day they learn to be more accomodating of others would be the day most of us in the South-South would conclude that they've become politically mature. But until then, the idea of an Igbo presidency would continue to be a mirage!!!
We must also keep in mind that those who have 'lorded over us' could have been anyone. The addiction to absolute power is in the human psyche and not exclusive to any ethnic group. If you give an Igbo man power, he is at the same risk of lording over the public as a Fulani man. We must find our self pride and respect so we then can demand equity within the political system. This is something we must always continue to fight for and be vigilant. For instance, if the power structure were to shift to an Igbo run system, going back to sleep would be as fatal as having a Fulani dominated power structure that is left unchecked. Same goes for a Yoruba dominated system or Hausa. The desire for absolute power is a universal trait among people and we the general public must always remain awake. I acknowledge, however, that the old elite that has presided over the affairs of Nigeria have been mainly of Northern extraction.
The trouble with Nigeria remains one and the same that British Colonialism left in place. There is no authentic Nigerian identity embedded in the Nigerian psyche. People think provincially first before they think centrally. For example, among the Yorubas, an Egba is likely to distinguish himself from an Ijebu before he thinks of his relation with the Ijebu. Similarly, in Nigeria,a Yoruba would first think of himself as a Yoruba in distinction from an Igbo before he thinks of his belonging with the Igbo to Nigeria. I use the Yoruba example so that no one would accuse of speaking ill of their ethnic group. Had being a Nigerian been the most central identity in the Nigerian psyche, we would not be worrying about the president's ethnicity. The lack of a truly Nigerian identity would remain one plague that would continue to haunt Nigeria as a nation, until we take the necessary steps to address it.