By Cajetan Mmuta
On Tuesday, April 19, Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, declared his unwavering resolve to run for the country’s presidency in the 2023 elections. The decision came with a bold statement, testimonies, endorsement by critical stakeholders, and backed by eminent politicians, personalities as well as the grassroots who converged on Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, Alor, the country home of the politician in Idemili South local government area of Anambra state.
Indeed, it was a gathering to re-enact the push and call on the former governor (May 29, 2003, to
March 15, 2006), ex-Senator (2011–2015) and current minister under the All Progressives Congress-led government of President Muhammadu Buhari, to contest for the country’s number one seat of power at Aso Rock.
The declaration is coming at a time the nation is in dire need of a courageous and selfless leader to rid her of the present stress and woes. Most importantly, for Ngige and the people, the time is now to salvage the country and its citizenry from imminent collapse.
Interestingly, the South-East geo-political zone is hot with a keen contest for the top job of President at a time the area is strongly adjudged to be marginalised after five other zones of the country have had shots at the nation’s seat of power from 1999 to date.
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Sadly, the political draftsmen are out to shift the goal post to favour their game plan to scheme the position to the highest bidder. The die is cast. Ndigbo is unbent this time to clinch the plum job despite the odds.
The make or mar game is what the world is watching with keen interest. To Ndigbo in the South, it’s now or never. The camps of the 14 aspirants of Chris Ngige, Peter Obi, Orji Uzor Kalu, Dave Umahi, Anyim Pius Anyim, Kinsley Moghalu, Ken Nnamani, Sam Ohuanunwa, Nwachukwu Anakwenze, Rochas Okorocha, former Justice Umeadi, and others, from the APC, PDP, ADC, and APGA are not relentless in their poise for the 2023 epic battle.
Recall that on December 31, 2021, during the minister’s empowerment programme the stakeholders from the 21 local government areas and concerned leaders, especially, former national and state assembly legislators had in a motion at a meeting called on Ngige to step forward to contest for the Presidency next year.
It holds, therefore, that the April declaration by the tactical politician after wide consultations had obvious implications. No doubt, the APC leaders, elders, and party members backed by various support groups drawn from the central senatorial district, the state, the entire South-East, and beyond have towering confidence in the man whom they also believe can deliver their message for purposeful government and good governance and that they have found as always in Ngige.
Outstandingly, Onwa, as he is popularly known, had while he held sway for 34 solid months as a governor of the “Light of the Nation” state, demystified the godfathers that held the state by the jugular for decades and were able to prove to the people that development was possible in a state that generates many revenues but has little to show for it.
However, the APC presidential aspirant during his formal declaration promised among others that he would be the president of all sections of the country.
Also, he would assure the replication of the great feats of sectorial transformations while he was Governor and senator which spans education, infrastructure, health, laying a solid foundation for greater Nigeria, security, a paradigm shift from the old order of being a consuming nation to a new order of a productive economy; a government where the welfare of all segments of the society would be attained through job creation, employment generation and industrial and labour harmony.
He said that he had garnered the requisite leadership experience, courage, and capacity, having served Anambra state and the country in various capacities as governor, senator, and presently as a minister, from 1996 to date.
According to the former governor, he had traversed all the nooks and crannies of the country and therefore has what it takes to steer the ship of the nation to safety.
He said, “On account of the message you sent to me and having consulted widely and in obedience to my consultations, we are going to vie for the post of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We have what it takes to embark on the journey under the platform of the APC.”
Speaker after speaker at the gathering remarked that Ngige remains an outstanding and accomplished leader with an aura of service, vision, courage, fearlessness, and honesty to lead the country, having proven his feet in different positions.
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They unanimously declared that it is the turn of the South and particularly, Ndigbo in the Southeast zone, to produce the next president of the nation.
Chairman of the APC, Chief Emeka Ibeh, represented by the state secretary of the party, Chukwuma Agupugo, said the event smacked of a delegates’ convention to endorse Ngige for the task ahead of making the country a better and united nation.
The Coordinator, National Forum for South-East Presidency 2023, Patrick Elunaekwu, lamented that from 1999 till date the Southeast geo-political zone is yet to ascend to the number one seat at Aso Rock despite that other zones have had their shot at the presidency.
However, the quest and questions about activities of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and its militant arm, Eastern Security Network (ESN) pose a serious threat to the agitation by the South-East for the presidency next year.
It is hoped that the earlier the political actors wake up from their seeming slumber to wrestle the obstacles to progress and peaceful coexistence among the people and other parts of the country, the better.
Sacrifice requires that Ndigbo leaders must put up courage and commitment to ensure the timely release of Leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, whose continued detention in the underground facility of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja, the ongoing trial over alleged terrorism and treasonable felony and other charges by the Federal Government, will act as a big setback to the desires and demands of the Southeast zone and its people.
Also, it is expected that the federal government and other geo-political zones must endeavour to put aside unnecessary sentiments, see others as part of a whole, and sincerely bring on board the Southeast and other aggrieved areas in their agitation against injustices and marginalization and other inequalities that set the nation aflame with division and disunity.
Meanwhile, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has broadened the search for a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction beyond the scope of the South-East zone and includes their own in South-South Nigeria.
This clarification becomes necessary for the Igbo to jettison the artificial separation of boundaries adjustment created by the military and reunite with their kith and kinsmen in the Niger-Delta region.
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In a statement yesterday by its Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the group said, “The Ohanaeze Ndigbo constitution written by our founding fathers, in their wisdom enshrined that Anioma in Delta and Ikwerre in Rivers State are part of Igbo speaking states, as we have seen in Late Amb Raph Uwechue and late Col Joe Achuzia from Anioma in Delta State, led Ohanaeze Ndigbo as President-General and Secretary-General respectively, likewise Dim Uche Okwukwu from Ikwerre in Rivers state is the immediate past Secretary-General Ohanaeze Ndigbo”.
“Governors Okezie Ikpeazu and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had not abandoned the quest for the Igbo to succeed President Buhari in 2023 through their open support for Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, rather both South-East governors are reading the handwriting on the wall that 2023 presidential election might be APC Ikwerre Vs PDP Ikwerre ( Amaechi Vs Wike).
“Ndigbo has become civilised and sophisticated than ever before to ensure that 2023 belongs to Igbo in both directions APC and PDP, moreover Obio Akpo and Mbiama are part of Ikwerre, Igbo speaking part of Rivers state, and we are very committed to Igbo aspirations for Presidency, and nothing can separate us as you know that the next leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo will come from Rivers state in 2025.”
