GODWIN AMADI
Don’t get it wrong: I’m an Igbo man but I’m not an ethnic jingoist. I am a detribalized Nigerian and will continue to be. If I fanned the embers of ethnicity, I would not write this.
It is my opinion that an Igbo presidency will not happen soon. This is because Igbos have consistently played bad (read selfish) politics since 1999. I will not bore you with history. Rather, let us look at the present.
The main contenders for the presidential election are GEJ and GMB. Individuals as well as socio-cultural/political organizations are free to make their choice of the two candidates. However, I believe socio-cultural/political organizations should be wiser and more pragmatic in endorsing candidates. No ethnic group should exercise its choice of endorsement such that it loses all if one candidate wins. In other words, no ethnic group should put all its political eggs in one basket (read umbrella). This is especially so when the contest is so keen.
I know there are over 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria. But for the purpose of this argument, let us use WAZOBIA.
Assume GEJ’s presidency. As president, if GEJ has a discretion to exercise, he will do so in favour of the Yorubas for the following reasons:
1. Afenifere supported him
2. OPC supported him
3. Many traditional rulers supported him
4. If nothing at all, Fayose and Mimiko did enough to attract his sympathy/attention to Yorubas
5. FFK played his role
As president, if GEJ has a discretion to exercise, he will do so in favour of the North for the following reasons:
1. The VP is a son (this is no mean feat)
2. Adamu Muazu & Babaginda Aliyu were rocks
3. Northern Christians supported him
4. Considering the insurgency in the Northeast and the vexed issue of the Chibok girls, any vote from the North will be considered a gift
As president, if GEJ has a discretion to exercise, he will do so in favour of the Igbos for the following reasons:
1. Major (if not all) socio-cultural/political organizations supported him
2. Aside Rev Mbaka, majority of Igbo Christians and churches supported him
3. APGA, a traditional Igbo political party endorsed him
4. Igbo traditional rulers supported him (those that did not were dethroned)
5. Aside Rochas, all the Igbo governors supported him
6. Igbos in Lagos gave him an arm and a leg
7. (The fact that GEJ has not visited any part Igbo state since the elections were postponed is an indication of how secured he feels)
8. His name is “Ebele” and “Azikiwe”
9. Nollywood supported him
Now assume GMB presidency. As president, if GMB has a discretion to exercise, he will do so in favour of the Yorubas for the following reasons:
1. The VP is son of the soil (and this is huge)
2. Tinubu and his political machinery were behind him (As a matter of fact, without Tinubu GMD may not have been president)
3. Five out of the seven Yoruba governors supported him. Opposition in the other two states were vocal as well
4. Going by social media comments/postings (and arguably print media), most Yorubas supported him
5. Some prominent Obas supported him
As president, if GMB has a discretion to exercise, he will do so in favour of the Hausas for this singular reason:
1. He is the “General” of majority of his own people
As president, if GMB has a discretion to exercise, he will do so in favour of the Igbos for the following reasons:
1. He is a statesman
2. He is the president of ALL of Nigeria.
Apart from these two reasons, why will GMB as president of Nigeria exercise discretion in favour of the Igbos? Which Igbo socio-cultural/political organization supports GMB? Apart from Rochas and Ngige (my memory failed me), which other prominent Igbo politician supports GMB? As it is, will GMB or Hausas or Yorubas support Igbo presidency in 2019 or in the distant future?
Honestly, I just wish my people shared their support as Yorubas and Housas have done. No matter the outcome of this presidential election, Yorubas and Housas will never lose out with regard to exercise of discretion. They are wiser and more pragmatic. Whoever becomes president, they will beat their chest and say, “We made you president.”
Can the Igbos do likewise to both candidates?
Don’t get it wrong: I’m an Igbo man but I’m not an ethnic jingoist. I am a detribalized Nigerian and will continue to be. If I fanned the embers of ethnicity, I would not write this.
It is my opinion that an Igbo presidency will not happen soon. This is because Igbos have consistently played bad (read selfish) politics since 1999. I will not bore you with history. Rather, let us look at the present.
The main contenders for the presidential election are GEJ and GMB. Individuals as well as socio-cultural/political organizations are free to make their choice of the two candidates. However, I believe socio-cultural/political organizations should be wiser and more pragmatic in endorsing candidates. No ethnic group should exercise its choice of endorsement such that it loses all if one candidate wins. In other words, no ethnic group should put all its political eggs in one basket (read umbrella). This is especially so when the contest is so keen.
I know there are over 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria. But for the purpose of this argument, let us use WAZOBIA.
Assume GEJ’s presidency. As president, if GEJ has a discretion to exercise, he will do so in favour of the Yorubas for the following reasons:
1. Afenifere supported him
2. OPC supported him
3. Many traditional rulers supported him
4. If nothing at all, Fayose and Mimiko did enough to attract his sympathy/attention to Yorubas
5. FFK played his role
As president, if GEJ has a discretion to exercise, he will do so in favour of the North for the following reasons:
1. The VP is a son (this is no mean feat)
2. Adamu Muazu & Babaginda Aliyu were rocks
3. Northern Christians supported him
4. Considering the insurgency in the Northeast and the vexed issue of the Chibok girls, any vote from the North will be considered a gift
As president, if GEJ has a discretion to exercise, he will do so in favour of the Igbos for the following reasons:
1. Major (if not all) socio-cultural/political organizations supported him
2. Aside Rev Mbaka, majority of Igbo Christians and churches supported him
3. APGA, a traditional Igbo political party endorsed him
4. Igbo traditional rulers supported him (those that did not were dethroned)
5. Aside Rochas, all the Igbo governors supported him
6. Igbos in Lagos gave him an arm and a leg
7. (The fact that GEJ has not visited any part Igbo state since the elections were postponed is an indication of how secured he feels)
8. His name is “Ebele” and “Azikiwe”
9. Nollywood supported him
Now assume GMB presidency. As president, if GMB has a discretion to exercise, he will do so in favour of the Yorubas for the following reasons:
1. The VP is son of the soil (and this is huge)
2. Tinubu and his political machinery were behind him (As a matter of fact, without Tinubu GMD may not have been president)
3. Five out of the seven Yoruba governors supported him. Opposition in the other two states were vocal as well
4. Going by social media comments/postings (and arguably print media), most Yorubas supported him
5. Some prominent Obas supported him
As president, if GMB has a discretion to exercise, he will do so in favour of the Hausas for this singular reason:
1. He is the “General” of majority of his own people
As president, if GMB has a discretion to exercise, he will do so in favour of the Igbos for the following reasons:
1. He is a statesman
2. He is the president of ALL of Nigeria.
Apart from these two reasons, why will GMB as president of Nigeria exercise discretion in favour of the Igbos? Which Igbo socio-cultural/political organization supports GMB? Apart from Rochas and Ngige (my memory failed me), which other prominent Igbo politician supports GMB? As it is, will GMB or Hausas or Yorubas support Igbo presidency in 2019 or in the distant future?
Honestly, I just wish my people shared their support as Yorubas and Housas have done. No matter the outcome of this presidential election, Yorubas and Housas will never lose out with regard to exercise of discretion. They are wiser and more pragmatic. Whoever becomes president, they will beat their chest and say, “We made you president.”
Can the Igbos do likewise to both candidates?
Mmmmmmm. Very deep.
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