By VINCENT UJUMADU
PRESIDENTIAL adviser on inter party relations, Senator Ben Obi, want the Igbo to wait for President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision on whether to run or not before taking their own decision on the 2015 presidential race.
The senator, who spoke in Awka yesterday, observed that although the leadership of the apex Igbo socio –cultural organization, the Ohaneze Ndigbo, had insisted that the Igbo were already working towards taking over from Jonathan in 2015, there is need for them to allow the president to make his intention known first.
Sen. Obi
He said: “Ohaneze Ndigbo, which I am a caucus member of, has said it loud and clear that it is the turn of Ndigbo to produce the president in 2015. Indeed, we are highly interested in the 2015 presidency, but that is if President Jonathan decides not to run.
“If, eventually he decides to run, then Ndigbo will have to consider the situation and weigh the options. I do not have any right to question the decision of Ohaneze to insist on presenting a candidate because the group has a leadership which we all follow.”
According to him, it is the duty of the leadership of Ndigbo to champion the cause of the people, while other people he described as foot soldiers would join, adding that when the leaders do not make the much needed move, others would have nothing to do.
Obi also spoke on the much talked about additional state for the South East geo-political zone to bring it at par with most other zones, saying that the issue had not been given the due attention it deserved because of the lackadaisical approach towards realizing it.
He said further: “One additional state in the South East is realizable. Even people from other states who are not part of it have seen it as injustice to Ndigbo, but our people have not displayed enough commitment to it.
“It is not the presidency that should champion the cause of an additional state for us. It is our duty as Ndigbo to seriously demand for the additional state to bring us at par with others.”

Umuigbo,what are your opinions on these issues raised?
If goodluck runs again by 2015,shuld we still give him support or pursue igbo presidency course?

Among the new states(anioma,adada,equity etc) bn advocated for, which do u think shuld see the light of the day?

centje: Umuigbo,what are your opinions on these issues raised?
If goodluck runs again by 2015,shuld we still give him support or pursue igbo presidency course?

Among the new states(anioma,adada,equity etc) bn advocated for, which do u think shuld see the light of the day?

If he (GEJ) runs again, our support will be based on progress report on second Niger Bridge, status of Enugu International Airport, Onitsha River/Sea Port, Ibaka Seaport, East-West Road. The power situation is already settling down into a welcome rhythm, thanks to his (GEJ) foresight in appointing the right person (Barth Nnaji) for the job. Speeding up those project will help his cause. So far, GEJ is handling his job marvelously well, despite propanganda by the SW Media and the almajiri blood lust.

For the new states been advocated, though Anioma is my favorite, I want all three!

PointB:


If he (GEJ) runs again, our support will be based on progress report on second Niger Bridge, status of Enugu International Airport, Onitsha River/Sea Port, Ibaka Seaport, East-West Road. The power situation is already settling down into a welcome rhythm, thanks to his (GEJ) foresight in appointing the right person (Barth Nnaji) for the job. Speeding up those project will help his cause. So far, GEJ is handling his job marvelously well, despite propanganda by the SW Media and the almajiri blood lust.

For the new states been advocated, though Anioma is my favorite, I want all three!

I quite agree with you. I also prefer anioma. But getting the three may nt be possible. Only Two states where proposed to balance the disparity.

What if ,by 2015, goodluck isnt the pdp flag bearer?

Look at this atiku's puppet pretending to speak for ndigbo. Abeg sit down there

belovedaja: Look at this atiku's puppet pretending to speak for ndigbo. Abeg sit down there

what is your opinion,if he(GEJ) runs?

centje:
I quite agree with you. I also prefer anioma. But getting the three may nt be possible. Only Two states where proposed to balance the disparity.

What if ,by 2015, goodluck isnt the pdp flag bearer?

There is nothing impossible, we can have all three states and more. It's all about trade and barter - politics.

As for GEJ not being the PDP candidate, the question is who will stop him? The North with their boko haram disarray? The SW with their current Obj vs Tinubu leadership crisis? I mean Obj anoints candidate A, Tinubu is negotiating alliance with candidate B, yet some claim SW is united? United indeed, maybe Liverpool!

If we push out GEJ by force, it will only play into the hands of SW/Core North alliance. The only person who can stop GEJ from re-contesting in 2015 is GEJ. SE and NC will continue to play it cooly, while Buhari will continue to listen to Tinubu to his detriment. Meanwhile, the shouting match between the core north and South South will only get louder, with little or no result.


In any case, if GEJ is not running in 2015.

Sullivan Chime has the qualities to be the Igbo PDP candidate. Until this arrangement Rochas may have to suppress his presidential ambition.

On the other hand, if Chime is not interested or did not get the nomination, Rochas candidacy should be on the lips of every Igboman, woman, and children.

However, if we must vote for another candidate outside SE for 2015, the most strategic partnership should be with NC. David Mark/SE presidency readily comes to mind here. So our worse case scenario should be David Mark/Rochas SE for 2015!

Good analysis by pointB.

I VOTED FOR ANIOMA STATE .

PointB:

There is nothing impossible, we can have all three states and more. It's all about trade and barter - politics.

As for GEJ not being the PDP candidate, the question is who will stop him? The North with their boko haram disarray? The SW with their current Obj vs Tinubu leadership crisis? I mean Obj anoints candidate A, Tinubu is negotiating alliance with candidate B, yet some claim SW is united? United indeed, maybe Liverpool!

If we push out GEJ by force, it will only play into the hands of SW/Core North alliance. The only person who can stop GEJ from re-contesting in 2015 is GEJ. SE and NC will continue to play it cooly, while Buhari will continue to listen to Tinubu to his detriment. Meanwhile, the shouting match between the core north and South South will only get louder, with little or no result.


In any case, if GEJ is not running in 2015.

Sullivan Chime has the qualities to be the Igbo PDP candidate. Until this arrangement Rochas may have to suppress his presidential ambition.

On the other hand, if Chime is not interested or did not get the nomination, Rochas candidacy should be on the lips of every Igboman, woman, and children.

However, if we must vote for another candidate outside SE for 2015, the most strategic partnership should be with NC. David Mark/SE presidency readily comes to mind here. So our worse case scenario should be David Mark/Rochas SE for 2015!

I like your analysis. Its crystal clear that igbo needs a strong union to clinch the presidency come 2015. I believe ohaneze can champion that,making sure we are home and dry with our cousins in south south(at least they shuld reciprocate the support we gave them),then tap into the division in south west,and that between middle belt and rest of north.
Our major problem will be core north. If we culdnt succeed,at least middle belt/south east ticket isnt bad.
Sullivan works like spirit i cant say whether he is interested in presidency or nt. But the likes of rochas is very obvious.
What abt pat utomi or amaechi coming into the scene?

M-16:
I VOTED FOR ANIOMA STATE .

i also prefer the anioma,and i think its top on the list.

centje: what is your opinion,if he(GEJ) runs?

ndigbo shud nt wait for anybody or group they shud start preparing now and put pressure on gej on the need to shift power back to southeast.
Afterall power is nt what ndigbo need now. What ndigbo need is massive economic and educational empowerment of it youths and not the presidency.

centje:
I like your analysis. Its crystal clear that igbo needs a strong union to clinch the presidency come 2015. I believe ohaneze can champion that,making sure we are home and dry with our cousins in south south(at least they shuld reciprocate the support we gave them),then tap into the division in south west,and that between middle belt and rest of north.
Our major problem will be core north. If we culdnt succeed,at least middle belt/south east ticket isnt bad.
Sullivan works like spirit i cant say whether he is interested in presidency or nt. But the likes of rochas is very obvious.
What abt pat utomi or amaechi coming into the scene?

I doubt if Pat Utomi can even mobilise enough votes to win a Local Government Election in his ward. He only surfaces every election year and go into hibernation afterwards. As far as I know Amaechi is 'Rotimi!'

Ben obi is strategizing for his master(atiku), what he said was not in the best interest of ndigbo. I dnt want power to shift to s/e because it will breed/increase hatred /envy for them due their strong will to success.

belovedaja: Ben obi is strategizing for his master(atiku), what he said was not in the best interest of ndigbo. I dnt want power to shift to s/e because it will breed/increase hatred /envy for them due their strong will to success.

politics is about interests,everyone no interests will clash. But we can still unite for this one purpose,achieve a consensus candidate,then those vices wuldnt arise. If we culd unite to give unalloyed support to GEJ and also repeated the same during subsidy protest why nt in this presidential race. I believe in the leadership of ohaneze and they are strong enough to bring that much needed unity of purpose.

As far as nigerian politics is concerned Atiku has lost out in all ramification.i dnt even waste my time on him.

centje:
I like your analysis. Its crystal clear that igbo needs a strong union to clinch the presidency come 2015. I believe ohaneze can champion that,making sure we are home and dry with our cousins in south south(at least they shuld reciprocate the support we gave them),then tap into the division in south west,and that between middle belt and rest of north.
Our major problem will be core north. If we culdnt succeed,at least middle belt/south east ticket isnt bad.
Sullivan works like spirit i cant say whether he is interested in presidency or nt. But the likes of rochas is very obvious.
What abt pat utomi or amaechi coming into the scene?

^^^On the bolded: I'd prefer and support Pat Utomi over Amaechi. Utomi is a critical thinker and takes a scientific approach to analyzing and tackling issues; Amaechi on the other hand is more of a 'with-immediate-effect' kinda person, which of course has its benefits in a country such as ours. Of less importance, but still significant, is the fact that Utomi has identified with his roots (Igbo) and i love him for that....Ikwerre say they aren't Igbo. So this would be a Mark/Utomi ticket....supported, provided there's no GEJ or Igbo presidential candidate in 2015 (though i would have prefered a Mark/Soludo ticket, or Soludo as a presidential candidate ahead of Chime and Rochas). Of course there's the little problem of the core north not agreeing to a christian/christian ticket (even though they saw no problem with a moslem/moslem ticket in 1993).

On GEJ and Ndigbo come 2015: as has been eloquently stated by some above, if he fixes power; assists with a FUNCTIONAL int'l airport at Enugu; gets the river port at Onitsha functioning to FULL capacity; fixes the railways; fixes critical federal roads in the country (or makes significant progress in this regard); rises agriculture to the levels it was in years gone by when it contributed significantly to GDP (i'm thinking of the rice fields in Abakaliki and cassava cultivation for export); gets Ibaka sea port to an acceptable level of construction; see exactly what's happening with Tinapa and why it can't function as Duke envisaged.....if he can do all this and decides to run again in 2015, we'd be mad not to support him; in fact i would question his sanity if he does all (or most) of the above yet refuses to recontest .

On the issue of extra states for the South East: i'd buy into an Anioma state first, and if there's room for another then i'm cool with wherever that comes from.

PROUD-IGBO:


^^^On the bolded: I'd prefer and support Pat Utomi over Amaechi. Utomi is a critical thinker and takes a scientific approach to analyzing and tackling issues; Amaechi on the other hand is more of a 'with-immediate-effect' kinda person, which of course has its benefits in a country such as ours. Of less importance, but still significant, is the fact that Utomi has identified with his roots (Igbo) and i love him for that....Ikwerre say they aren't Igbo. So this would be a Mark/Utomi ticket....supported, provided there's no GEJ or Igbo presidential candidate in 2015 (though i would have prefered a Mark/Soludo ticket, or Soludo as a presidential candidate ahead of Chime and Rochas). Of course there's the little problem of the core north not agreeing to a christian/christian ticket (even though they saw no problem with a moslem/moslem ticket in 1993).

On GEJ and Ndigbo come 2015: as has been eloquently stated by some above, if he fixes power; assists with a FUNCTIONAL int'l airport at Enugu; gets the river port at Onitsha functioning to FULL capacity; fixes the railways; fixes critical federal roads in the country (or makes significant progress in this regard); rises agriculture to the levels it was in years gone by when it contributed significantly to GDP (i'm thinking of the rice fields in Abakaliki and cassava cultivation for export); gets Ibaka sea port to an acceptable level of construction; see exactly what's happening with Tinapa and why it can't function as Duke envisaged.....if he can do all this and decides to run again in 2015, we'd be mad not to support him; in fact i would question his sanity if he does all (or most) of the above yet refuses to recontest .

On the issue of extra states for the South East: i'd buy into an Anioma state first, and if there's room for another then i'm cool with wherever that comes from.

cool.

PROUD-IGBO:


^^^On the bolded: I'd prefer and support Pat Utomi over Amaechi. Utomi is a critical thinker and takes a scientific approach to analyzing and tackling issues; Amaechi on the other hand is more of a 'with-immediate-effect' kinda person, which of course has its benefits in a country such as ours. Of less importance, but still significant, is the fact that Utomi has identified with his roots (Igbo) and i love him for that....Ikwerre say they aren't Igbo. So this would be a Mark/Utomi ticket....supported, provided there's no GEJ or Igbo presidential candidate in 2015 (though i would have prefered a Mark/Soludo ticket, or Soludo as a presidential candidate ahead of Chime and Rochas). Of course there's the little problem of the core north not agreeing to a christian/christian ticket (even though they saw no problem with a moslem/moslem ticket in 1993).

On GEJ and Ndigbo come 2015: as has been eloquently stated by some above, if he fixes power; assists with a FUNCTIONAL int'l airport at Enugu; gets the river port at Onitsha functioning to FULL capacity; fixes the railways; fixes critical federal roads in the country (or makes significant progress in this regard); rises agriculture to the levels it was in years gone by when it contributed significantly to GDP (i'm thinking of the rice fields in Abakaliki and cassava cultivation for export); gets Ibaka sea port to an acceptable level of construction; see exactly what's happening with Tinapa and why it can't function as Duke envisaged.....if he can do all this and decides to run again in 2015, we'd be mad not to support him; in fact i would question his sanity if he does all (or most) of the above yet refuses to recontest .

On the issue of extra states for the South East: i'd buy into an Anioma state first, and if there's room for another then i'm cool with wherever that comes from.

I don't know when you people will understand that it's the turn of the south-east and not Igbos to clinch the presidency. Pat Utomi even though Igbo, is from Delta state in the south-south and not the south-east, so he does not qualify to take the spot of the SE.

afam4eva:
I don't know when you people will understand that it's the turn of the south-east and not Igbos to clinch the presidency. Pat Utomi even though Igbo, is from Delta state in the south-south and not the south-east, so he does not qualify to take the spot of the SE.

^^^You talk of it 'being our turn' as if it's sacrosanct and written in some kind of immutable document like the constitution. Though i get where you're coming from, i also believe that if as Ndigbo we see a brother from the so called South-South (a dubious political set-up created to dismember the greater Igbo nation) who has identified with his roots and embodies the hopes, aspirations and values of Ndigbo, it behoves on us to support him with no questions asked....blood is thicker than water afterall.

Though i mentioned Utomi in passing....saying that i'd rather prefer him to Amaechi; my first choice was and still remamins Soludo.

PROUD-IGBO:


^^^You talk of it 'being our turn' as if it's sacrosanct and written in some kind of immutable document like the constitution. Though i get where you're coming from, i also believe that if as Ndigbo we see a brother from the so called South-South (a dubious political set-up created to dismember the greater Igbo nation) who has identified with his roots and embodies the hopes, aspirations and values of Ndigbo, it behoves on us to support him with no questions asked....blood is thicker than water afterall.

Though i mentioned Utomi in passing....saying that i'd rather prefer him to Amaechi; my first choice was and still remamins Soludo.

I also like him too. I've seen him on several Igbo programs on TV and i think he'll make a good Igbo president. But for some reason i want someone who's from the south-east because Pat Utomi may not understand the plight of the south-eastern Igbos.

people advocating for Anioma state- are u crazy ?

Asaba in anioma is the capital of delta state- a billion dollar state - reaping all the cream dela cream from the state , yet you complain.

do you think if asaba was in an anioma state asaba would have had an airport ?

please stop agitating shiit.

and stop advocation for a river port at this time in onitsha - it is simply not economical.

for a river port to function in onitsha - it would need an intyegrated master plan being in parallel with a new onitsha master plan.
could you imagine if the small ships starts landing at onitsha river port- do you anticipate how much it would clog onitsha ?
is there a space to accommodate millions of containers at the present water front ? or even near by ? -- NO!

lets focus on IBAKA seaport. its a deep wate rport and would accommodate economical big container ships.


onitsha port would come later - probably with PPI - such that it is masterfully planned and integrated with the Market , the city and IBAKA and oNNE seaports.

i think an igbo again after the south just had a moyhfull will be inconsiderate , hence i would support we present MARK/SOLUDO/PAT UTOMI Ticket

PROUD-IGBO:


^^^You talk of it 'being our turn' as if it's sacrosanct and written in some kind of immutable document like the constitution. Though i get where you're coming from, i also believe that if as Ndigbo we see a brother from the so called South-South (a dubious political set-up created to dismember the greater Igbo nation)

South-South is the best the thing that happened to IGBOs. and it was Ekwueme's idea

macjive01: people advocating for Anioma state- are u crazy ?

Asaba in anioma is the capital of delta state- a billion dollar state - reaping all the cream dela cream from the state , yet you complain.

do you think if asaba was in an anioma state asaba would have had an airport ?

please stop agitating shiit.

and stop advocation for a river port at this time in onitsha - it is simply not economical.

for a river port to function in onitsha - it would need an intyegrated master plan being in parallel with a new onitsha master plan.
could you imagine if the small ships starts landing at onitsha river port- do you anticipate how much it would clog onitsha ?
is there a space to accommodate millions of containers at the present water front ? or even near by ? -- NO!

lets focus on IBAKA seaport. its a deep wate rport and would accommodate economical big container ships.


onitsha port would come later - probably with PPI - such that it is masterfully planned and integrated with the Market , the city and IBAKA and oNNE seaports.

i think an igbo again after the south just had a moyhfull will be inconsiderate , hence i would support we present MARK/SOLUDO/PAT UTOMI Ticket

I agree that Anioma is benefiting from the fact that they are in the oil-rich Delta state considering the fact the Asaba is the capital of Delta state. But you have to understand that even bigger projects are cited outside Asaba despite it being the capital.

What do you mean by "i think an igbo again after the south just had a moyhfull will be inconsiderate". What has a south-south president got to do with Igbos? I wonder how some of you Igbos reason at times. We've not ruled this country since Ironsi and you're talking of inconsideration.

macjive01: people advocating for Anioma state- are u crazy ?

Asaba in anioma is the capital of delta state- a billion dollar state - reaping all the cream dela cream from the state , yet you complain.

do you think if asaba was in an anioma state asaba would have had an airport ?

please stop agitating shiit.

and stop advocation for a river port at this time in onitsha - it is simply not economical.

for a river port to function in onitsha - it would need an intyegrated master plan being in parallel with a new onitsha master plan.
could you imagine if the small ships starts landing at onitsha river port- do you anticipate how much it would clog onitsha ?
is there a space to accommodate millions of containers at the present water front ? or even near by ? -- NO!

lets focus on IBAKA seaport. its a deep wate rport and would accommodate economical big container ships.


onitsha port would come later - probably with PPI - such that it is masterfully planned and integrated with the Market , the city and IBAKA and oNNE seaports.

i think an igbo again after the south just had a moyhfull will be inconsiderate , hence i would support we present MARK/SOLUDO/PAT UTOMI Ticket

^^^Am i the only one wondering if macjive01 has lost all his marbles ?

macjive01:


South-South is the best the thing that happened to IGBOs. and it was Ekwueme's idea

Heavenly father, onye keruwa, biko zoputa ndigbo...SMH @ the bolded.

macjive01:


South-South is the best the thing that happened to IGBOs. and it was Ekwueme's idea

^^^You do make some sense here (finally!).....but i feel this South-South thing is only beneficial to Ndigbo in general if the Igbo sug-groups within them don't deny their Igbo heritage, but key into the larger Igbo vision and aspiration. Abi na lie i talk?

on the issue of Igbo presidency- since PDP has maintained a south -north sharing, GEJ is Southerner , hence the next5 swing should naturally be north.

Remember , IGBO alone cant produce the presidency- in as much as we could count on, Ijaws returning the favour we gave in GEJ.

Akwa-ibom and cross-rivers are very much at home with igbos hence would vote massively for an IGBO.

we NEED THE North East - whom have great likeness for IGBOs, and NC.
by agitating now would turn them against us- Hausas would trump southern colonization! -viz-z-viz IGBO.

let david mark rule with an igbo- SOLUDO- he is the best material at this time.

firstly, without South -south, there would have been no North east and North central.

these two area delimits the influence of the Hausa man.
with igbos being very mobile, and love to settle in theitr migrate town - it will be a matter of time- if the security permits before Igbos integrate into the politics and social discussion of these area- just like lagos or kano , or jos in the 80s.

Igbos are not tribalistic - they marry who they see -love to marry locals even- (visit vietnam and china mk u see mix-pikin fear)


now, on south-south, with their own seperate identity , outside IGBO cloat- they have come to realize that IGBOness- industriousness, hustling and show-off is all benign and individualized and not any cordinated grand plan by ohaneze to colonized them as they hausas indoctrinated them with.
hence they have made great friends with igbo like ever before.

3/5 marriages in rivers state is with an IGBO.

in Ikot ekpene and Uyo- to marry igbo is a thing of pride. ( i have met a number of men who gleefully says , even without my asking:" my wife is IGBO"

thirdly, things in Nigeria are shared by geopolitical zones, hence if the government wants to build specialized medical centers- it will be in
Enugu
porthrcourt
lagos
kaduna
maidugiri
jos


abuja


as an igbo in S/E you will have the amenities of two cause both enugu and portharcourt is two hours away.
this no other region enjoys.

infact igbos will enjoy it more than even say a Obudu (calabar) man who is four/five hours away.

IGBOs in Aniom shd stop agitating for a state and focus on agitating for more rights in the state.

macjive:

let david mark rule with an igbo- SOLUDO- he is the best material at this time.

Going by pdp zoning formula,am somehow skeptical abt possibility of getting the presidency. considering the present shape of our political terrain...North beleives they hv been cut off frm power since the return of democracy. Coz of the shortness of Musa y'Adua regime. So i doubt the power will come back to south. To me only goodluck can bring the power back to south.

mark/soludo ticket...dnt you think we may end up wasting soludo's opportunity. In nigerian political history,hardly do u hv the vice president succeeding his boss. It dsnt occur commonly even in state election. Unless soludo's vice presidency is to pave way for someone else.

macjive01: firstly, without South -south, there would have been no North east and North central.

these two area delimits the influence of the Hausa man.
with igbos being very mobile, and love to settle in theitr migrate town - it will be a matter of time- if the security permits before Igbos integrate into the politics and social discussion of these area- just like lagos or kano , or jos in the 80s.

Igbos are not tribalistic - they marry who they see -love to marry locals even- (visit vietnam and china mk u see mix-pikin fear)


now, on south-south, with their own seperate identity , outside IGBO cloat- they have come to realize that IGBOness- industriousness, hustling and show-off is all benign and individualized and not any cordinated grand plan by ohaneze to colonized them as they hausas indoctrinated them with.
hence they have made great friends with igbo like ever before.

3/5 marriages in rivers state is with an IGBO.

in Ikot ekpene and Uyo- to marry igbo is a thing of pride. ( i have met a number of men who gleefully says , even without my asking:" my wife is IGBO"

i agree the south south/south east relationship is getting better but the earlier igbos come together the better for us. I think creating anioma will partly solve the problem.