I want Igbo nation where I come from to play opposition politics in
Nigeria, at least in the next ten years. I want Igbo to be in the
opposition in the next ten years so that the world will take them serious
once again in matters of Nigerian politics. In the first Republic, Igbo
dominated NCNC formed an alliance with Northern based NPC to form a
government at the centre. In the Second Republic Igbo dominated NPP again
teamed up with NPN to form the National Government at the centre. In the
third Republic during the NRC, SDP era, Chief MKO Abiola won the election
fair and square on the platform of SDP but majority of the Igbo led by the
late Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu, (Ikemba Nnewi) the late Evans Enwerem,
Okwesilieze Nwodo teamed up with prominent Igbo and even some prominent
Yoruba leaders to support IBB, Shonekan and Abacha to sustain the
annulment of that election. Again, for 16 years PDP was in power in
Nigeria, Igbo was with PDP.
Now the outcome of 2015 elections has forced Igbo to be in the opposition
politics. But will the Igbo play opposition politics in Nigeria and hold
on to it at least in the next 10years just to surprise people like us who
think it is not possible? Can Igbo shame critics and tell them that spoils
of office and love for money will not allow them to play opposition
politics? Can Igbo make history by choosing to suffer a little in other to
be relevant again in Nigerian politics? Can Igbo show other Nigerians for
once that they too can go the whole hog of withstanding the pressure of
being in the opposition for a while?
Can Igbo demonstrate capacity and capability now by working with South
South, the North and other Nigerians to rebuild PDP whatever it will take
and even if it takes 20 years? Will Igbo jettison the love to support any
government in power to redeem its battered image of playing Ugba and
Okpoloko politics? Can Igbo do this for me and other Igbo like me who feel
ashamed that we must support any government in power in order to survive?
When did Igbo seize to be a proud people? Did we not fight a Civil War for
three years with empty stomach? Did we not prove to the world that we are
strong men and women in those three awkward years?
The Yoruba nation I know has been in the opposition even since the
inception of Nigeria and yet they are not the worst in Nigeria. After the
annulment of June 12 1993 presidential elections won by Chief Moshood
Abiola, the powers that be tried to console Yoruba by appointing Chief
Ernest Shonekan the Head of Interim government. Did Yoruba accept
Shonekan? No, they did not. They did not come out on the streets with
Gbedu Drums to celebrate Yoruba and Chief Shonekan. Yoruba proudly told
the powers that be that you can only be the Head of State in Nigeria
through two methods: it is either you achieve it through an election or
through a successful coup d’état. In case of Chief Shonekan he did not
ascend to power through any of the process above. He was therefore
rejected by the Yoruba. Now if it were the Igbo would they have reasoned
this way? I doubt it. In the struggle for June 12 Chief Abiola was put in
detention, his wife killed. Several Yoruba people were in detention and
some hounded abroad. Chief Abiola was eventually killed. But did Yoruba go
to war or resort to self determination? No they did not. They fought back
using common sense and power of ideas.
In 1998 when the presidency was zoned to the South West because the late
Chief MKO Abiola has paid the Supreme price, Yoruba preferred Chief Olu
Falae but the powers that be forced Chief Obasanjo on Nigeria. Now did
Yoruba accept Obasanjo because he is a Yoruba man? They did not. This
unique race rejected Obasanjo for eight years he was in office from 1999
to 2007. Till date Yoruba still believe that Obasanjo wasted their eight
years. OBJ was rejected even in his own ward, in his local government and
in the whole of the Western Region. That is Yoruba nation for you. Can
Igbo do this? I doubt. After the 2003 elections, PDP stole all the States
in South West leaving only Lagos because they were afraid of trouble
Lagosians will give them. From on State (Lagos), the former Governor of
Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu fought back like a wounded lion
with his committed associates to reclaim almost all the States in the
South West. He did not stop there; he spread his intimidating political
tentacles across Nigeria forming alliances across building networks and
bridges and the result is what we saw on Saturday March 28 and April 11
2015. Now, can any leader in the South East achieve this feat? Where is
the character? Where is the courage? Where is the wisdom and
understanding? Where is the common sense? Where is the discipline? Where
is the capacity and capability?
After the 2015 elections where Igbo lost deposit by putting all their eggs
in one basket without doing their political and arithmetic calculations
very well many Igbo leaders claimed that Igbo voted right. They have
argued that Igbo made the right political choices given the circumstances
on the ground then? Dr Ebigwe, Senator Ekweremmadu, Ken Nnamani, Professor
Anya O. Anya, Dr Alex Ekwueme, Peter Obi, Ohaneze, Aka Ikenga, Ndigbo
Lagos, MASSOB, and even Igbo in diaspora spoke with one voice that Igbo
voted well by pitching their tent with Jonathan. Yes Igbo have said they
voted right but in actions and deeds, they have been busy looking for ways
to sneak into APC.
After President Buhari trounced Jonathan on 28th March 2015 panic gripped
Igbo politicians, business men and women and the traders. They have been
running helter skelter looking for where to seek refuge. I remember a
night in the house of a very successful Igbo trader in Ikoyi, shortly
after the presidential election when it became obvious that PMB has
carried the day. They gathered to contribute money to support APC. Even
those who travelled home for the Easter holiday donated money from the
East just to belong. I felt ashamed that my people cannot defend their
honor and integrity even in times of trouble.
On Saturday 25th July 2015, a group who worked against APC in Lagos called
Igbo United Political Forum organized a reception to honour Governor
Rochas Okorocha. Behind the smokescreen was an attempt to sneak through
the back door to APC having missed the front door on March 28 and April 11
2015. The organizers reaped what they sowed as all the APC leaders they
invited stayed away. They licked their wounds and went home to cry. Time
and space will not permit me to recall various moves our people have made
to find their way to APC. Those who are still very angry about the
colossal loss have pitched their tent with the Biafra mantra. When we lose
out in National politics as a result of myopic and timid political
thinking and calculations the next move is to resort to ethnic politics.
Nobody is deceived.
My humble submission is that Igbo should learn how to play opposition
politics and the time to do so is now. Igbo will not die if they are not
in APC or government in power. After all Yoruba have been in opposition
for a long time since the 60s and yet they have not perished. Let Igbo
work with other PDP leaders across Nigeria to start re-strategizing,
repositioning, rebranding and rebuilding of PDP. This is the way to
political rebirth and redemption. If you have many bushes to clear, you
have to sharpen your knife very well.
Joe Igbokwe
Lagos