NDIGBO BE WISE.

When I read in many nigerian newspapers today, 15/04/2016, that the Peoples Democratic Party-PDP, has zoned the party’s Vice Presidential slot for 2019 to the Igbo people of the South East geo-political zone, my mind ran back to the second Republic in 1979 when the National Party of Nigeria-NPN zoned the same Vice Presidential slot to the Igbo people of the old Anambra and Imo States, with the promise that the Vice President would be supported by the Party, to be elected President at the expiration of the tenure of his boss. President Shehu Shagari and Vice President Alex Ekwueme were elected on the NPN ticket based on that arrangement. 

The visionary and fore-sighted Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe saw through the bate and the Greek gift. He came out of his voluntary retirement from partisan politics and chose the relatively smaller political party, the Nigerian Peoples Party-NPP in order to launch a bid for the office of President of Nigeria in 1979. Dr Azikiwe did not win the Presidential election of that year, but he led the the NPP to an ACCORD with the NPN, which yielded far more political dividends, relevance and respect for Ndigbo than the office of the Vice President ever attracted to our people. It has been alleged that the Military Coup of January, 1983 when President Shehu Shagari’s second term was already under way was executed more to halt Vice President Alex Ekwueme anIgbo on his track than for whatever President Shagari did wrong.

As I recall these things I also remember 1999, at the onset of the third Republic, the Peoples Democratic Party-PDP, promised to support the same Dr AlexEkwueme for the presidential nomination of the Party. This was after the Electoral Umpire had been influenced by the ruling Military Junta to schedule the National Assembly and Governorship elections to be conducted before the Presidential Primary elections by Political Parties. Dr Azikiwe had died in 1996.

There was no Igbo Political Leader fore-sighted enough to see through the well orchestrated plot to rope in Ndigbo, use and dump them after our people had been lured to cast their entire political lot with the PDP. Ndigbo are yet to extricate themselves from that entanglement. 

The PDP is at it again to take Ndigbo back to 1979 for yet another round of political rigmarole by offering the South East the Vice Presidential slot for the

2019 Presidential Election. 

I am of the strong and unwavering conviction that the only reasonable and respectable option for Ndigbo is to go for the Presidency of Nigeria in 2019 on the platform of a progressive political party favourably disposed to the aspiration, whose express and verifiable manifesto is anchored on the pursuit of True   Federalism and the Self determination of Nigeria’s Ethnic Nationalities. I know as of fact that there are many Nationalities in Nigeria today that shall key into the Igbo Presidential project the moment we stand firm and resolute to provide the leadership and direction needed to drive the movement. Ndigbo achieved  far greater political relevance, benefits and earned respect in the times they engaged others in Political Coalition (1st Republic) or Political Accord (2nd Republic).

Enough of political cowardice, timidity, naivety and second fiddle mentality. 

This is my candid opinion. 

OJEOZI NDIGBO.