Ohaneaze, Igbo Politicians On Collision Course

Ohaneaze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation has taken a dig at some politicians of Igbo extraction over their alleged comment which the group views as an insult on the people of the zone.

The group noted that the insults from these politicians are as a result of the temporary politicial positions they occupy.

According to reports, the National Organising Secretary of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Mr. Emma Bediro had in a statement recently said that the Igbos might not get the 2023 Presidency because they did not vote for President Muhammadu Buhari.

But in a swift reaction by the Deputy National Publicity Secretary Chuks Ibegbu, Ohanaeze wondered why ‘a full-blooded Igbo man’ could make such a statement.

“I dont expect an Igbos to be at the vanguard of such discouraging statements. The other time, it was Rotimi Amaechi, Orji Uzor Kalu and then even Rochas Okorocha. Some Igbo fully identified with Buhari and some others with Atiku just as some northerners, westerners and Niger Deltans did too.”

While he wondered what made Igbo position today exceptional, Ibegbu added, “When the Yoruba rejected Obasanjo, was he not made Nigeria’s President? Did the Niger Delta or the North all lick the buttocks of power holders in Nigeria before their own became Nigeria’s President?

“Why must Igbo be different and worst of all, our own people are talking like those that took tramadol. Nobody in the North or West or even Niger Delta will openly make such statements against their people even if their people are political mumu,” Ibegbu lamented.

“Maybe some of them have other blood running in their veins. For me, nobody has monopoly of political wisdom, not in the North, not in the West and not anywhere. Sometimes, it’s just mere luck or political intimidation,” the spokesman added.

While advising Igbo politicians who do not know what to say or how to engage their co-competitors in other parts, Ibegbu asked them to keep quiet instead of embarrassing their race.

 Recall that the immediate minister of Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi had during an interview on May 18 when asked about the chances of the Igbos in producing the 2023 president said: “I don’t know what they will do now for voting against the APC.

“For refusing to support the APC, they cannot come to the table to demand the presidency slot.

“For people like us in the APC, if the Igbo had come and voted Buhari, they would boldly tell Mr President and the National Chairman of the party that presidency should go the Southeast since the South-south; South-west and North-west have produced president. What argument would the Southeast come up with now to convince anybody that they deserve the slot for 2023 president?”

The minister also said the Igbos are out of national politics adding that if they are not found in national politics, it will be to the detriment of their children.

“They are completely out of the national politics and it will pay them. If Igbo are not found in the national politics, it will be to the detriment of their children”.