The Igbo political dilemma

Isat down, after church last Sunday, to think about 2015 and beyond
for Nigeria and the South East. Unfolding events have made it clear
that all the parties still play regional politics, be it the PDP,
CPC, ACN, Labour, and APGA.
I could not help but to admit to myself the shame of what is happening
in APGA today. Shame because while the ACF is lamenting and accusing
GEJ of dividing the North, NEF does not see any good in the state of
emergency declared by GEJ in three Northern violent states, which
means that the killings should have continued until the insurgence
reached Abuja.
The South-South is celebrating that the Presidency was thrusted on
them by divine arrangement, and they therefore must not fight each
other, according to the President's wife. The South West is working
very hard to bring ACN to a level they can take power, come 2015; the
Middle Belt andothers are positioning for any eventuality in 2015 and
beyond.
But the South East? They seem to be in disarray, confused and without
any focus at all, preoccupied with scatteredindividual pitiable
efforts!
Their case seems to me like that of the religious Christians who want
to go to heaven but are not prepared to count or number their days,
neither do they want to die for any reason whatsoever,not even for
Jesus.
These are the Christians who jump from programme to programme, church
to church, seeking miracles, breakthroughs, prophecies and won't
settle down to organise anything to make a living, by rendering some
service.
With the opportunities that abound forSouth Eastern politicians today
in Nigeria, they are busy pulling each other and themselves down,
making themselves non-marketable to any party at the national level,
running from party to party begging for admission, claiming they have
something to contribute. How can that be, without a power base from
their zone, the South East? Except they are praying for another
"Jonathan Miracle" by God, there is nothing the Igbo politicians have
on ground to show that they will ever smell power at the centre.
One remembers the strength of the NPP with the late Zik as the moving
force. They even worked out an alliance with the ruling party, NPN.
But since Zik died, something hit the SouthEast that has made Igbos
their own enemy in Nigerian politics.
Just consider first, the PPA. Chief Orji Uzor Kalu made Ndigbo proud
when heformed the PPA, fought and prevailed despite the hot pursuits
and political arrows from OBJ as President at that time. Like Asiwaju
Tinubu of Lagos, Kalu not only survived, but had two states, Abia and
Imo, with people in both chambers of the National Assembly in Abuja.
But unlike Asiwaju, he could not sustain the victory! He committed a
fatal political blunder when he took one of his aides straight from
prison to government house in Umuahia. He ensured that his crony was
put in power. The result, is that today, Kalu, the founder of PPA, is
running around begging the PDP to accept him. I hear he has been
blocked from being accepted, at least in Abia! Iam not sure.
Had he learnt from his colleague and friend, Asiwaju Tinubu, and more
importantly, had he enquired of God, the story would have been
different. God never fails. Instead of Okija shrine, it should have
been to a good Bible-believing church. As for the PPA, it became a
matter of strike the shepherd and the flock will scatter. The party
died! Meantime Asiwaju's ACN is today controlling five states and
pushing up with APC.
Second, look at Chief Umeh and APGA, another hopeful of Ndigbo. After
seriesof avoidable legal battles, Umeh reigned as APGA Chair. It took
the influence of the late Ikemba for APGA and Governor Peter Obi to
secure Anambra State.
APGA got Imo when the people rejected Ohakim, and by so doing the PDP.
Rather than consolidate APGA's hold, they have started fighting
themselves. They pretend they loved and respected Dim Ojukwu, but the
Ojukwu Centre under construction in Owerri was attacked recently by
who? If the problem was that some wanted the Centre somewhere else,
does Ojukwu not deserve centres in every state capital of the South
East? Why must that of Imo be destroyed? The answer is that any people
living in delusion never focus on the message; they focus on the
messenger, and missthe mark, or point!
The Igbo people will continue to miss their mark in national politics,
and maynever produce a President, as long they continue to look at the
messenger first, before the message!
Okorocha was just demonstrating his respect and love for an Igbo
leadershipidentity in the person of Dim Ojukwu, but in the mind and
view of some Igbo sons, he should not be the one to buildthe first
Ojukwu Centre. Okorocha should not be deterred, if he can affordit, he
should go and build the Ojukwu Centre in Orlu, where it will be
protected by the collective will of the people. The message is clear
and sounds good to Ndigbo. Any angry leader should build one in his
state. Ojukwu deserves it, and more.APGA is dying while Obi and
Okorocha, two persons who rode on APGA to government houses, seem to
be looking the other way. They would have betrayed their words to Dim
Ojukwu if they allowed APGA to die for whatever reasons. These two
men, Obiand Okorocha, owe it to Ndigbo to resolve all the differences
in APGA, resuscitate that party and restore dignity to Ndigbo once
again.
Agbaso and Okorocha must settle theirdifferences now before it
becomes an ego thing and too late. Okwu and Umeh should remember that
it is simple wisdom to own a small portion of a thing than to own all
of nothing. They should learn from Kalu and the PPA.
Mr. CLEMENT UDEGBE, a lawyer, wrote from Lagos.