Can The Igbo People Play Opposition Politics in Nigeria for 10 Years? By Joe Igbokwe

I want the Igbo nation, where I come from, to play opposition politics in Nigeria at least for the next ten years so that the world will take them serious once again in matters of Nigerian politics. In the first Republic, the Igbo-dominated NCNC formed an alliance with the northern-based NPC to form a government in the center. In the Second Republic the Igbo-dominated NPP again teamed up with the NPN to form the national government in the center. In the third Republic during the NRC-SDP era, MKO Abiola won the election fair and square on the platform of the SDP but the majority of the Igbo, led by the late Odumegwu Ojukwu, (Ikemba Nnewi) the late Evans Enwerem, and 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 the PDP was in power in Nigeria, and the Igbo was with the PDP.

Now the outcome of the 2015 elections has forced the Igbo to be in the opposition. But will the Igbo play opposition politics in Nigeria and hold on to it at least in the next 10 years just to surprise people like us who think it is not possible? Can Igbo shame critics and tell them that the spoils of office and love for money will not allow them to play opposition politics? Can the Igbo make history by choosing to suffer a little in other to be relevant again in Nigerian politics? Can the Igbo show other Nigerians for once that they too can withstand the pressure of being in the opposition for a while?

Can the Igbo demonstrate capacity and capability now by working with South-South, the North, and other Nigerians to rebuild the PDP, even if it takes 20 years? Will the Igbo jettison the love to support any government in power to redeem its battered image of playing Ugba and Okpoloko politics? Can the 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 the Igbo cease to be a proud people? Did we not fight a civil war for three years with empty stomachs? Did we not prove to the world that we are strong men and women in those three long 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 the June 12, 1993, presidential elections won by Moshood Abiola, the powers that be tried to console the Yoruba by appointing Ernest Shonekan the head of the 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: either through an election or through a successful coup d’état. In the case of Shonekan, he did not ascend to power through either of the above processes. 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, Abiola was put in detention, and his wife killed. Several Yoruba people were in detention and some hounded abroad. Abiola was eventually killed. But did the Yoruba go to war or resort to self-determination? No, they did not. They fought back using common sense and the power of ideas.

In 1998 when the presidency was zoned to the South-West because the late MKO Abiola has paid the supreme price, the Yoruba preferred Olu Falae but the powers that be forced Obasanjo on Nigeria. Now did the Yoruba accept Obasanjo because he is a Yoruba man? They did not. This unique race rejected Obasanjo for the eight years he was in office, from 1999 to 2007. To date the 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 the Yoruba nation for you. Can the Igbo do this? I doubt it. After the 2003 elections, the PDP stole all the states in the South-West, leaving only Lagos because they were afraid of the trouble Lagosians will give them. 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 the Igbo lost their deposit by putting all their eggs in one basket, many Igbo leaders claimed that the Igbo made the right political choices given the circumstances on the ground then. Dr. Ebigwe, Senator Ekweremadu, Ken Nnamani, Professor Anya O. Anya, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Peter Obi, Ohaneze, Aka Ikenga, Ndigbo Lagos, MASSOB, and even the Igbo in diaspora spoke with one voice in saying the Igbo voted well by pitching their tent with Jonathan. Yes, the Igbo have said they voted right, but in actions and in deeds, they have been busy looking for ways to sneak into the APC.

After President Buhari trounced Jonathan on March 28th, 2015, panic gripped Igbo politicians, businessmen 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 had carried the day. They gathered to contribute money to support to the APC. Even those who traveled home for the Easter holiday donated money from the East just to belong. I felt ashamed that my people couldn’t defend their honor and integrity even in times of trouble.

On Saturday, July 25th, 2015, a group who worked against APC in Lagos called Igbo United Political Forum organized a reception to honor Governor Rochas Okorocha. Behind the smokescreen was an attempt to sneak through the back door to the APC, having missed the front door on March 28th and April 11th, 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 the 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 the Igbo should learn how to play opposition politics, and the time to do so is now. The Igbo will not die if they are not in the APC or part of the government in power. After all, the Yoruba have been in opposition for a long time—since the 60s, and still they have not perished. Let the Igbo work with other PDP leaders across Nigeria to start strategizing to reposition, rebrand, and rebuild the 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

http://saharareporters.com/2015/08/03/can-igbo-people-play-opposition-politics-nigeria-10-years-joe-igbokwe

Not going to work.

Repeatedly, i have written here that the problem of the East becoming formidable in anything is not caused by anybody, or some other tribes as they are wont to say. Their problems is caused by the internal wrangling and lack of trust among themselves, a first year student of Political Science can look at the East, and will rightly predict their next move for the next 50 Years.

The Easterners are the definition of people living in denial of everything. They live in denial that their houses is not divided, they live in denial that the Hausa/Yoruba is not their enemies, they live in denial that there is a problem with them.

To be in the opposition requires a lot of things, one of them is self respect, the ability not to be compromised even if the proverbial carrot is dangled in front of you,you must have a good reputation, have to be accepted and respected by not just your peers, but also the opposition, and must importantly must not be a sale out.

When APC won, some of the first set of people to defect from PDP were from the East. It is this hungry man's mentality that is killing them there, it got so bad that Oyegun, the APC Chairman had to tell them to go away and not come near APC.

Tinubu and his likes in the West, are worth mentioning here. Tinubu has been called a drug dealer/user, but this man cut his teeth in the days of NADECO, giving the Government of Sani Abacha serious problems, when the likes of Daniel Kanu(an Easterner)was busy eating from the crumbs of the dictator and shouting TRANSIT TO A CIVILIAN PRESIDENT.

Where is that ROGUE anyway?

Tinubu was the last man STANDING, in opposition against OBASANJO. That singular act, transformed his story to those said around BEDTIMES, the stories of a LEGEND. In all these where were the opposition from the EAST?NONE.

Truth is, the EAST have always wanted to stick to where the BREAD is well BUTTERED. And strangely, have always had LUCK getting it right every time. But, this time they got it WRONG.

The East was not expecting to get it WRONG, so did not prepare for any exigency plan i.e being in the opposition.

Who will lead the opposition in the EAST that has a clean HAND? i CHALLENGE any body on Nairaland to mention one NAME in the EAST, that can lead the opposition.

This is not the time for them to be in the opposition. This is the time the East should come together and get their acts together.

But i leave the Easterners with the CAPTION below

"It is right to be wrong, but it is wrong to remain wrong"

Oppositions shouldn't be based on ethnicity .
what happens to credibility ??
remember, The president z supposed to represent a nation not an ethnic group

May be not

SUPER MASTERPIECE from a wise and detribalised igboman. I can see his people will start calling him names just like ngige and okorocha but these are men that see the future NOT from an ethnic perpective like the others do. Well done Sir!!!

Let the Igbo Traitor bashing start!

A true and straight to the point analysis and solution proffered by an Igbo man.
Will they listen?
No!
They won't !
A leopard can not change its spots even to save its own life.

As much as there are some salient points in this, I can also notice some background sentiments to diss the Igbo tribe and that is not right. Lets face it, the SE and SS are not the only people who voted almost exclusively for one perso, most of the North (West and East) did the same and the difference is that the North paid off.

We need to get off our differences and realize that the SE and SS felt like supporting President Jonathan was the best for them and they should be respected for that. The NE and NW felt President Buhari was better and they voted.
The NC and SW was actually torn between both

That is the beauty of Democracy; you vote the person you think is the best candidate and hope that others see your point, look at things from your eyes and the wishes of those that voted should be respected.

If the SE voted for President Jonathan and he lost, why should they not try to have representatives in the APC even if it not about offices but a genuine way to let the government know their needs and complaints? If anyone wants to Famz a party or the Nation's leadership, they know what they stand to gain and while you might think it is them being afraid of being starved of funds (projects and the likes), they have every right to be worried for the sake of their region and themselves.

I don't like the tone of this article as it does not do much but try to tell people "you lost, live in your loss". We all want to make Nigeria better and we should all try to do that.

My Igbokwe mentioned that the SE has been in the opposition for a long while but I also hope that he knows that in the past 16 years, the SW was not at any point exclusively in the opposition. It still had a lot of people in the federal government and the governing party to ensure that they could get attention. Only the leaders of the AD/ACN/AC/APC were in the opposition.

crudemoney:
Oppositions shouldn't be based on ethnicity .

what happens to credibility ??

remember, The president z supposed to represent a nation not an ethnic group

It's the bloc voting pattern of the SE in 2015 that makes it look like opposition is based on ethnicity.

Over 50 tribes in the North were in opposition from 2010-2015 and still are right now if we subscribe to that logic.

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.

Nairaland is full of those type, when we tell them that this Biafra nonsense noise they are disturbing us with on this forum is because of electoral loss, they start lying and insulting.

Whaoooooooooooo. Such a brilliant write up by the erudite spokesman of Lagos Apc. Hope my people will take all the counsel in good faith.

Who is this sell-out?
The struggle is real and it will only take time.


To be honest,most people are tired of this country and they want to go.

Tell Uncle Joe we are playing no opposition, rather we want to go?
The truth is that Igbos have being living on 5% or something less all this while but Buhari only made verbal declaration of it.
If you are indoubt ask your grand parents about 20 pounds?

Imagine SE transformation today with just 20 pounds? What a great tribe.
They are yet to understand we seeds, bury us and see great multiplication yourself.



Proudly 5%

Nice write-up. I learned quite a few things. I've never even heard the name Olu Falae. I have some reading to do. Shout out to Jagaban. He pulled it off. I didn't know all that went in this election but the more I read it is clear that there is major strength in unity. Naija up!

Pangea:


Let the Igbo Traitor bashing start!

A true and straight to the point analysis and solution proffered by an Igbo man.
Will they listen?
No!
They won't !
A leopard can not change its spots even to save its own life.

That's another problem I have with Nigerians(or folks on Nairaland). People would not even try to take points or debate the points they don't agree with. They will immediately jump into attack mode and go all tribal and nuclear on one another.

Mynd44:
As much as there are some salient points in this, I can also notice some background sentiments to diss the Igbo tribe and that is not right. Lets face it, the SE and SS are not the only people who voted almost exclusively for one perso, most of the North (West and East) did the same and the difference is that the North paid off.

We need to get off our differences and realize that the SE and SS felt like supporting President Jonathan was the best for them and they should be respected for that. The NE and NW felt President Buhari was better and they voted.
The NC and SW was actually torn between both

That is the beauty of Democracy; you vote the person you think is the best candidate and hope that others see your point, look at things from your eyes and the wishes of those that voted should be respected.

If the SE voted for President Jonathan and he lost, why should they not try to have representatives in the APC even if it not about offices but a genuine way to let the government know their needs and complaints? If anyone wants to Famz a party or the Nation's leadership, they know what they stand to gain and while you might think it is them being afraid of being starved of funds (projects and the likes), they have every right to be worried for the sake of their region and themselves.

I don't like the tone of this article as it does not do much but try to tell people "you lost, live in your loss". We all want to make Nigeria better and we should all try to do that.

My Igbokwe mentioned that the SE has been in the opposition for a long while but I also hope that he knows that in the past 16 years, the SW was not at any point exclusively in the opposition. It still had a lot of people in the federal government and the governing party to ensure that they could get attention. Only the leaders of the AD/ACN/AC/APC were in the opposition.

The south east vote for party affiliation most times, but the south west think more of the personality representing them no matter how they love the party.

I love the write up.
Its filled with common sense.

Is Joe Igbokwe not Ibo?
Did he not play opposition politics for ten years?

Mynd44:

I don't like the tone of this article as it does not do much but try to tell people "you lost, live in your loss". We all want to make Nigeria better and we should all try to do that.

Far from it. What the Igbo man is clearly telling his kinsmen is to not despair, stiffen their upper lip, and do what every other group that find themselves in the opposition do; lay low and re-strategize.

I think the issue most people have which makes it difficult to empathize with the Igbos is the raw hatred and derogatory nature of the campaign against Buhari in the region, and the consequent bloc vote against him.

Smooyis:

The south east vote for party affiliation most times, but the south west think more of the personality representing them no matter how they love the party.

It will interest you to know that President Jonathan did not get less than 30% in all SW states. It was a matter of some people believing that President Jonathan was better and sone believed that President Buhari is better.

The latter won

fulanimafia:


It's the bloc voting pattern of the SE in 2015 that makes it look like opposition is based on ethnicity.

Over 50 tribes in the North were in opposition from 2010-2015 and still are right now if we subscribe to that logic.

there r 3 major ethnic groups in Nigeria.
The Hausas av always been in power .
while the Igbos av been in opposition

Mynd44:

That's another problem I have with Nigerians(or folks on Nairaland). People would not even try to take points or debate the points they don't agree with. They will immediately jump into attack mode and go all tribal and nuclear on one another.

Just wait for them to wake up and take up arms!
The thread will soon go up in flames.

fulanimafia:


Far from it. What the Igbo man is clearly telling his kinsmen is to not despair, stiffen their upper lip, and do what every other group that found themselves in the opposition do; lay low and re-strategize.

I think the issue most people have which makes it difficult to empathize with the Igbos is the raw hatred and derogatory nature of the campaign against Buhari in the region, and the consequent bloc vote against him.

Lay low and strategize is wise but while you lay low, also send people into government and play it both ways. The AC/ACN guys did not survive because they "laid low", they did because they had candidates that performed and that was advertised to other states. Fashola'ss government is one of the biggest points here. Other SW states saw the pace of Lagos and knew they could not afford to keep back and then they Brough Ajimobi and Amosun. These people along with Tinubu(hate him or love him) got on stage with President Buhari and the trust they had was transferred

No matter of opposition will help you as long as you don't have respect. Look at what the respect for Akpabio did for him. He worked and the people knew so anyone he brings will be feeding from his testimony which is what Mr Igbokwe should be preaching; good governance at the state level and the have some emissaries with everyone else

crudemoney:


there r 3 major ethnic groups in Nigeria.
The Hausas av always been in power .
while the Igbos av been in opposition

Please don't say what you do not know.

Read that article properly and take note of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd republic politics that were referred to. You will see that the Hausa and Igbos have been in alliance several times, they have never been in opposition.

Mind you that this man is an Igbo man and in APC

fulanimafia:


It's the bloc voting pattern of the SE in 2015 that makes it look like opposition is based on ethnicity.

Over 50 tribes in the North were in opposition from 2010-2015 and still are right now if we subscribe to that logic.

Did the NW/NE not vote in block in 2003,2011 and even in 2015? Did the SW not vote in block in 1999,2003 ? Quit all these hypocrisy!!!!

crudemoney:


there r 3 major ethnic groups in Nigeria.
The Hausas av always been in power .
while the Igbos av been in opposition

Stop being funny.

We have had (give or take) 16 years in this democratic dispensation. For how many years has someone from the "North" been president? Did the "North" not vote the "southern" candidates.

Stop letting people dictate how you think

ellabooz:
Who is this sell-out?
The struggle is real and it will only take time.


To be honest,most people are tired of this country and they want to go.

Tell Uncle Joe we are playing no opposition, rather we want to go?
The truth is that Igbos have being living on 5% or something less all this while but Buhari only made verbal declaration of it.
If you are doubt ask your grand parents about 20 pounds?

Imagine SE transformation today with just 20 pounds? What a great tribe.
They are yet to understand we seeds, bury us and see great multiplication yourself.



Proudly 5%

Joe yorubakwe is just the usual sabo. A house nigger slave. Every word from that man gets throw into the dustbin as far as I'm concerned. The illiterate is more like the ppl he lick their ass for than Igbo. Only in his dimwitted brain, he thought Biafra agitation started after GEJ list. That's the illiteracy of APC goons. Even during GEJ administration, Nnamdi KANU actually hated him and constantly insulted GEJ likewise he was popular and gaining members hence IPOB is worldwide even during GEJ administration but in the APC illiterate mind, Nnamdi is mad and started radio Biafra because of GEJ lose. Wtf do you expect from a sabo with noodles as brain who has absolutely no idea what's going on in his town like Joe Yorubakwe. I actually have more respect for okorocha than that joe bufoon. At least Okorocha has a tiny bit of dignity and not a complete house sabo.

cktheluckyman:


Did the NW/NE not vote in block in 2003,2011 and even in 2015? Did the SW not vote in block in 1999,2003 ? Quit all these hypocrisy!!!!

But did the SW vote in block for President Jonathan in 2011?

Its crystal clear no they can't all they do is shout BIAFRA and come ask for appointment in a daura dollard certificate less administration. Judas is what they are. No focus and don't know d difference between south south and south east

Smooyis:

The south east vote for party affiliation most times, but the south west think more of the personality representing them no matter how they love the party.

How about North West that voted exclusively for Buhari in 2011, were they reminded everyday that they must be in opposition or they are 5%?

If as you claim that South West votes personality, I'm guessing you didn't know those who contested 2011 election and how the SW voted. What changed? or did Jonathan had superior personality than Buhari in 2011 that SW voted overwhelmly for the PDP?

Democracy is a game of choice and nobody should be punished for freely having a choice. You cannot say that a geopolitical zone is opposition, saying that, as Joe Igbokwe is alluding to, is to give credence to the perception by SE that they will be excluded in this government.

You may rejoice today because it is SE, we don't know the future. We may move into a president who will be responsible to only his political zone.

Pangea:


Just wait for them to wake up and take up arms!
The thread will soon go up in flames.

I wont be here when that happens

drags in a log of wood and sits down










meanwhile

Mynd44:

Lay low and strategize is wise but while you lay low, also send people into government and play it both ways. The AC/ACN guys did not survive because they "laid low", they did because they had candidates that performed and that was advertised to other states. Fashola'ss government is one of the biggest points here. Other SW states saw the pace of Lagos and knew they could not afford to keep back and then they Brough Ajimobi and Amosun. These people along with Tinubu(hate him or love him) got on stage with President Buhari and the trust they had was transferred

No matter of opposition will help you as long as you don't have respect. Look at what the respect for Akpabio did for him. He worked and the people knew so anyone he brings will be feeding from his testimony which is what Mr Igbokwe should be preaching; good governance at the state level and the have some emissaries with everyone else

Regionally you might be correct, but nationally the success of the ACN dudes can primarily be credited to their alliance with other regions. What are Igbokwe's people doing in that regard? That is the underlying message he is trying to transmit by asking them to go back to the trenches and re-strategize.

Even on the regional level which was the foundation the ACN dudes built on, what are they doing? You really think PDP which is being revived by Atiku and Saraki is a SE party?