I'm I missing something here? Can someone pls tell me how the position of the senate presidency benefits the common man in the region its zoned to? What's all the hullabaloo? How does the position of the senate president make my life better.

The southeast had d senate presidency for 8 years under OBJ, what tangible benefits did it bring to the region? The northwest has had it for 4 years now, what benefits? Can anyone please educate me?

Chyz*:

The problem is not jonathan per se, it's OBJ, along with the constant gang up on the SE. How do you expalin the claim of "Retaining the current zoning arrangement" when the SGF position is currently zoned to the NE but they are saying it's going to the SE. Sounds like a plot to me.

Is a common obj more than the SE ? Mehn,this paranoia is becoming something else to you guys.So obj now holds ibo ransome ?

They just want Naire notes to change hands where some would fall into their hands silly people. Did they ask for this before the elections?

I really hope these so called Igbo leaders do decamp to APGA.

And by one insult, the Ndigbo will make PDP a minority party. Brilliant!

Empty threats from cowards.

The SE leaders have a very good opportunity to actually extract tangible commitments from GEJ. They need to demand that GEJ agrees that one of the first actions of the FEC after May 29 would be to award contracts for the construction of a major international airport in the SE, the reconstruction of the River Niger bridge, and the construction of major highways linking SEern cities together.

They can also extract a public promise to support Ndigbo for VP position in 2015. GEJ must make public statements to the above else no deal.

Ezeuche , from the way you talk ( "Igbo ascendancy" , "the biggest loser is the SW" et al) I would say you sound about 60 years old . Your mentality and ideas are really ancient . They are a throwback to our ugly past best consigned to the dustbin of history . No one , certainly not a young person , should be entirely myopic to the extent that everything is seen through regional/ethnic lenses . It makes no sense at all .

You talk as if you are more obsessed with what is entirely superficial rather than what is tangible, pertinent and hierarchically important in regards to the badly needed environmental and human development all Nigerians craves for desperately. State Governors , for now , are the most important leaders in Nigeria and the best chance for most Nigerians to enjoy the dividends of democracy.

There is no point at all bothering  with Legislative leadership positions as long as we continue to get the wrong type of folks , in the majority , legislating for us . It is as simple as that. You should tell us what Ekweremadu (deputy senate President ) has been doing , when he is not calling PIB protestors "charlatan", to facilitate "Igbo ascendancy".

Self-help , while the FG centre continues to be indolent and cynically opportunistic , is the new, proven and effective model of gaining development . I hope you will realise this someday soon .

ndu_chucks:

The SE leaders have a very good opportunity to actually extract tangible commitments from GEJ. They need to demand that GEJ agrees that one of the first actions of the FEC after May 29 would be to award contracts for the construction of a major international airport in the SE, the reconstruction of the River Niger bridge, and the construction of major highways linking SEern cities together.

They can also extract a public promise to support Ndigbo for VP position in 2015. GEJ must make public statements to the above else no deal.

This is more like it !!!! Rapid development is the name of the game!!! Folks should focus on what is tangible, immediately required and transformational . The North , for example , can be said to be political 'heavyweights' but I don't envy the region at all because it is still controlled by those who seek power merely for the sake of it and for self-aggrandizement rather than for developmental purposes. If being "heavyweights" means more to the SW than the attainment of real development then they would have endured with the misrule of the PDP. That is how Nigeria , in general , should now be thinking. The most important thing is that State works well to give Nigerians dignified lives where most of their needs are met .

Waste of time.

I am honestly ashamed of South East politicians.

They had the choice to defend zoning during the PDP primaries, they chose not to and supported Jonathan. Now Jonathan has won the election, zoning of Presidential post before election is close to becoming history. Now Jonathan has not even announced his next cabinet, we don't even know the look of his next Government; PDP as a party has simply decided to maintain the power sharing it had before election. So I really do not understand what the fuss is about?

Ezeuche and Co, please kindly make a list of the PDP power sharing arrangement just before election and  the power sharing the PDP recently announced and tell me the difference? Did the South East physically loose out in anything?

This is no time to call anybody who does not agree with very narrowminded views "efulefu". Jonathan is the President of 150million Nigerians which comprises at least over 250 ethnic groups. If your premise for voting Jonathan is so that he can ignore the rest of the country and be of benefit only to the SouthEast then you got it fundamentally wrong. Because not even a President of Igbo extraction with direct ancestry from NRI can succeed in running this country like that.

You people should be very careful. A lot of you who make so much noise commenting on Igbo issues do not really have an appreciation of the history of Igbos and what needs to be done to advance our course in the Nigerian geopolitical space.

I did not support Jonathan, I am not still a fan of Jonathan . . . . . but on this issue of speakership, Neither Jonathan nor PDP has done anything wrong to Igbos.

EzeUche_:

I really hope these so called Igbo leaders do decamp to APGA.

And by one insult, the Ndigbo will make PDP a minority party. Brilliant!  

Brilliant ke? You mean dum*a** right? You wait until AFTER the elections to decamp? So you can spend another 4 years whining, geez.

I think this recent agitation is being formented by political jobbers who want to force the hand of the FG into giving them positions. I doubt this even has anything to do with helping Igbo, just some selfish politician trying to get his. Hopefully, common Igbo on the street speak their mind forcefully, before their reputation as whiners get sealed for another generation.

mikeansy:

Waste of time.

I am honestly ashamed of South East politicians.

They had the choice to defend zoning during the PDP primaries, they chose not to and supported Jonathan. Now Jonathan has won the election, zoning of Presidential post before election is close to becoming history. Now Jonathan has not even announced his next cabinet, we don't even know the look of his next Government; PDP as a party has simply decided to maintain the power sharing it had before election. So I really do not understand what the fuss is about?

Ezeuche and Co, please kindly make a list of the PDP power sharing arrangement just before election and  the power sharing the PDP recently announced and tell me the difference? Did the South East physically loose out in anything?

This is no time to call anybody who does not agree with very narrowminded views "efulefu". Jonathan is the President of 150million Nigerians which comprises at least over 250 ethnic groups. If your premise for voting Jonathan is so that he can ignore the rest of the country and be of benefit only to the SouthEast then you got it fundamentally wrong. Because not even a President of Igbo extraction with direct ancestry from NRI can succeed in running this country like that.

You people should be very careful. A lot of you who make so much noise commenting on Igbo issues do not really have an appreciation of the history of Igbos and what needs to be done to advance our course in the Nigerian geopolitical space.

I did not support Jonathan, I am not still a fan of Jonathan . . . . . but on this issue of speakership, Neither Jonathan nor PDP has done anything wrong to Igbos.

Now it's this kind of silly nationalist atitude as personified in zik that brought us to this position.Dude what do you mean by saying that we want GEJ to favour only us?Please if you don't have any meaningful thing to contribute to this thread please allow "real" igbomen like ezeuche and chyz to do what they do best.Tribalism was,is,and will always be an issue in this country,ironsi and zik ignored it to the peril of ndiigbo.Btw where is onlytruth?

@op
I wish ndiigbo will decamp from pdp to APGA in mass.And did someone mention getting GEJ to give us good roads and int'l airport,i doubt he could,but even if he does,he will equally do the equivalent projects for other zones and even more,so what gives?

I have this feeling that GEJ will not want to willingly leave aso rock come 2015,afterall he has obj,the master of sit tight syndrome as a mentor,i believe he is trying to win the heart of the north and the west,whom he believes will give him victory come 2015,by offering them juicy positions,ndiigbo must ensure that this man is disgraced come 2015,we were instrumental to his rise,perhaps we can also be instrumental to his fall and disgrace.

^^^^

So what is the basis of complaining over a power shaaring arrangement that was simply carried over from what existed just before the election?

So anybody who does not agree with you is not real Igboman abi?

A lot of you have a lot to learn in life.

Get this right in your little heads. If any ethnic group constituted 90% of Nigerian population, then you can keep playing the ethnic card in a democracy where number is key. What is the point of playing the ethnic card in a Nigeria where no ethnic group has absolute majority and those who will be on top are those able to advance a broader point of view which also favours their own constitutencies?

You guys have a lot to learn in politics and I find it annoying when folks who engage in nothing but self defeating political fights elect themselves as representatives of Ndigbo.

Decamp from PDP to APGA in order to purnish GEJ?

Who was APGA's Presidential candidate in the last election again?

Just before you pretend you don't know check the news below.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/02/apga-adopts-jonathan-for-april-election/

APGA adopts Jonathan for April election
On February 11, 2011 · In News , 
By VINCENT UJUMADU
AWKA — THE All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, at its national convention in Awka, yesterday, formally adopted President Goodluck Jonathan who is the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as its candidate for  April 2011 general elections.

The motion to adopt the Jonathan–Sambo ticket was moved by the deputy governor of Anambra State, Mr. Emeka Sibeudu, and seconded by the national secretary of the party and governorship candidate for Zamfara State, Dr. Sani Shinkafi.

May be you guys need a new party to move to in order to truly express your grieviances.

Imagine decamping from a party you helped win election over nothing? Please stop digging holes for yourselves!!!!!!!!!!!!

vicenzo:

Now it's this kind of silly nationalist atitude as personified in zik that brought us to this position.Dude what do you mean by saying that we want GEJ to favour only us?Please if you don't have any meaningful thing to contribute to this thread please allow "real" igbomen like ezeuche and chyz to do what they do best.Tribalism was,is,and will always be an issue in this country,ironsi and zik ignored it to the peril of ndiigbo.Btw where is onlytruth?

 @op
I wish ndiigbo will decamp from pdp to APGA in mass.And did someone mention getting GEJ to give us good roads and int'l airport,i doubt he could,but even if he does,he will equally do the equivalent projects for other zones and even more,so what gives?

I have this feeling that GEJ will not want to willingly  leave aso rock come 2015,afterall he has obj,the master of sit tight syndrome as a mentor,i believe he is trying to win the heart of the north and the west,whom he believes will give him victory come 2015,by offering them juicy positions,ndiigbo must ensure that this man is disgraced come 2015,we were instrumental to his rise,perhaps we can also be instrumental to his fall and disgrace.

 Am I reading correctly ? Is Nigeria now the SE region or is Jonathan now the Premier of the SE rather than the President of Nigeria? If Jonathan does his best to ensure all regions of Nigeria are developed how can anyone have a problem with that?

By the way , Mikeansy,  IMO, is far more of a "real" Igbo man , in the context of the reality on the ground today, than the ineffective rabble rousers you tout as "real Igbo men" who only know how to cause more chaos than proffer useful solutions . It is folks like Mikeansy , able to combine intelligence with pragmatism, who get results . Not emotional ethnic fantasists who view everything myopically because of regional/ethnic focus when that is a no-no in a Nation with every region facing serious developmental challenges . No "real Igbo man" will make it a morning and night obsession to dream about an entire region being "punished" only to then begin crying when , ostensibly , that has not happened. The real Igbo man , who will be a success in today's Nigeria , will be someone who will live and let live.

@mikeansy.
You don't get it, do you?Playing ethnic cards is awolowo being more interested in the west than in nigeria,saraduna being more interested in the north than in nigeria,the west voting in mass for a regional acn,(liberating their region from pdp corrupt governance),the west not turning out in mass to vote for GEJ.
Not playing ethnic politics is zik being a silly nationalist,ironsi surrounding himself with nothern an western elements,leading to his death and the death of millions of ndiigbo in biafra war,ndiigbo supporting an ijawman in the name of eastern brother,when they could have easily insisted on zoning,get the vp position and reposition to get the presidency in 2019.
Infact,we are where we are today,because we have refused to play ethnic politics,from zik to ironsi and now,we are all guilty,perhaps we can begin by kicking pdp out of our region.

Hi Guys,
I am still reCovering from my op of last friday. But I couldn't resist to post and ask if its alright to say"I TOLD YOU SO?

I am with Vicenzo, Chyz, EzeUche,
Ndi-Igbo propelled GEJ to Presidency yet he can't reciprocate because he is playing it safe? If we are not worth the risk then he and his PDP aint worth the risk either. Its time that we as a people adopt a hardline attitude towards everything in Nigeria. We have compromised enough and if we have grind shyt to a halt then let's do it. U can't use and dump us. Not the new generation. Ndi-Igbo don't have to go to war but Ndi-Igbo don't have to weaklings at all. Yorooba politicians de-camped to A.C.N but they are not playing ethnic politics? BS let us play the game like the rest. We took a nationalistic approach by throwing our weight behind a man who I don't remember was really a part of any mainstream Igbo or Eastern group. All we know is that this fisher man was our Eastern brother and when the North tried to bully him only the SE stepped in. The SW sat on the fence yet he side tracks us so he can please the core North that even killed ppl just to show their displeasure and the West that looked the other way. I don't mind David Mark retaining his seat after all he has been doing well but GEJ could have done better.

@Gbawe
I believe that post was not for you,since you are being nosy,perhaps a little clarification is needed.

I made that post because someone said that ndiigbo should accept whatever they were given which in this case are deputy senate president and sgf and that the SE should be more interested in getting GEJ to build good roads and int'l airport in the SE,i was of the opinion that using those projects as an excuse to justify not giving the SE the senate presidency or speaker house of rep is dumb,since the other zones who got juicier positions will equally get equivalent projects in their zones.

eyah! that's PDP for you

Oh dear, one more silly igbo rants! We told them,warned them but they pretended as if we were fools! Guess we now know which region is the official "spareparts" of nigeria!- used and dumped yet again.

I have always maintained that igbos/SE should stick to thier NOLLYWOOD and SPAREPARTS biz.

oh, has it not occur to you that the vocal and vociferous ohanaeze spokesman was made a member of the post election violence investigation panel and since then the guy has zipped his mouth! One of the national dailies asked him to comment on the seemingly snubb of the cries of the SE by the PDP and all he could say that he was on a national assignment and can't comment!, the dude has pocket his own share of the cake and has forsaken his people!

Just another warning, the least an igbo man can become president in nigeria is after 2024! SE should forget 2015 - the north are having it back until 2024

When a goat moves with the sheep all the time, she begins to 'feel' like one forgetting her smell separates her from the lots!

i sorry for SE oh!

udezue:

I am with Vicenzo, Chyz, EzeUche,
Ndi-Igbo propelled GEJ to Presidency yet he can't reciprocate because he is playing it safe? If we are not worth the risk then he and his PDP aint worth the risk either. Its time that we as a people adopt a hardline attitude towards everything in Nigeria. We have compromised enough and if we have grind shyt to a halt then let's do it. U can't use and dump us. Not the new generation. Ndi-Igbo don't have to go to war but Ndi-Igbo don't have to weaklings at all. Yorooba politicians de-camped to A.C.N but they are not playing ethnic politics? BS let us play the game like the rest. We took a nationalistic approach by throwing our weight behind a man who I don't remember was really a part of any mainstream Igbo or Eastern group. All we know is that this fisher man was our Eastern brother and when the North tried to bully him only the SE stepped in. The SW sat on the fence yet he side tracks us so he can please the core North that even killed ppl just to show their displeasure and the West that looked the other way. I don't mind David Mark retaining his seat after all he has been doing well but GEJ could have done better.

Stop revising history in your effort to paint others as demons while holding yourself as virtuous saints and maligned victims. It is shameful, disgraceful and very unfair to others !!! The SNG that took to the street everyday for Jonathan to be sworn in is an SE movement ? Tunde Bakare is an Igbo man ?  Kayode Ogundamisi who , through his Nigeria Liberty forum, was motivating Nigerians to March in support of GEJ on the Streets of  London and New York is from the SE abi ?  Femi Falana and Wole Soyinka who joined protestors defending GEJ are from the SE also. When issues of equity and justice were concerned the SW has not been found wanting in comparison to anyone . Don't confuse the region not endorsing GEJ hook, line and sinker to mean "the West looked the other way". No region did more to fight in ensuring that Jonathan was made acting President.

I don't mind enthusiasm for one's region but you cross the line when you start bending reality and fabricating outright lies. This statement is an outright lie and all Nigerians know it :

when the North tried to bully him only the SE stepped in.

You should tell us who did the most to defend GEJ when it mattered most and when apathy was not an option such as when the Turai cabal were hellbent on frustrating Mr. President.

Eziachi:

Hi Guys,
I am still reCovering from my op of last friday. But I couldn't resist to post and ask if its alright to say"I TOLD YOU SO?

Nna anyi Eziachi,you told us,after that concorde hotel owerri scenario,where in collaboration with ohakim,he locked igbo leaders outside,i came to hate this man,if he doesnt have respect for our leaders how can he have respect for ndiigbo,but over the next months that followed, this man stooped to conquer our heart,and before you know it,everybody in the streets of igbo towns where screaming GEJ.
Nna anyi eziachi,the did is done,what do you suggest we do now,your contribution is needed.

vicenzo:

@Gbawe
I believe that post was not for you,[/b]since you are being nosy,perhaps a little clarification is needed.

 I made that post because someone said that ndiigbo should accept whatever they were given which in this case are  deputy senate president and sgf and that the SE should be more interested in getting GEJ to build good roads and int'l airport in the SE,i was of the opinion that using those projects as an excuse to justify not giving the SE the senate presidency or speaker house of rep is dumb,since the other zones who got juicier positions will equally get equivalent projects in their zones.

My friend , I appreciate your explanation but fail to see how I was "nosy" considering that this is a public forum for [b]Nigerians. You cannot make Nairaland a discussion room for you and your pals alone. So far as we are talking about Nigeria then anyone is free to respond to any post.

I still dont understand why some people claim that Gej is there to complete the tenure of yaradua, which means that he's completing the hausas term. So, to me since gej is there to complete the hausamen term, which invariably makes him an hausa, they shoul appointed a southerner as the vice president to send a clear message that gej is serving the interest of the northerners and the zoning formular should be sustained. I curse the day that i betrayed the true igbo leaders (i.e ekwueme, nnamani, a b c nwosu et al), and joined some happy-go-lucky elements to support this infidel.

^^ Rotten brain cells.

I can only say congratulation to whoever invented this animosity. they have really done a good job for what they cooked up out of the blues has definitely taken root.

The unfortunate truth is that Omo_Tier1's post above was simply the objective of this invention and unfortunately my fellow Igbo folks bought it without reading between the lines. They just want to create the impression that somebody has been used and dumped. I did not support Jonathan and still do not believe in him but the fact remains that there was no alternative in the election. The SouthEast could not have voted for anyone else in this election and why we Easterners are allowing this ridiculous spin that "we have been used and dumped" to take root is beyond me?
If Speakership came to the SouthEast, we would have lost the Deputy Senate Presidency . . . .what difeference having any of these posts makes or not even having them at all, I have no clue. Both houses of legislature form a corum by majority vote and any bill that does not have popular support of the majority of Legislators will not see the light of day no matter where the leadership of the House may come from.

The truth of the matter is, Jonathan and PDP wanted to retain David Mark for his loyalty and support to Jonathan. He has been a stabilizing force so no suprises there. In other to have David Mark as Senate President with him being a Christain, if his deputy is a christain southerner then some in PDP would want a Muslim-Muslim leadership in the House which was why Dimeji Bankole was chosen in the first place. Otherwise if Speakership came to the SouthEast then deputy Senate presidency will have to go to Yoruba Muslim. May be instead of having this messing about at this time, the easy thing was to simply maintain the power sharing arrangement as it is.

Now how any of this translates into South east being used and dumped, I have no clue. Somethings in life are certainly more serious than engaging in mindless trivialities. If anybody wants to decamp to APGA then they should please do so by all means but the commentary that has followed the announcement of the PDP power sharing formula is simply uncalled for and a waste of everybody's time.

kasiem:

I still dont understand why some people claim that Gej is there to complete the tenure of yaradua, which means that he's completing the hausas term. So, to me since gej is there to complete the hausamen term, which invariably makes him an hausa, they shoul appointed a southerner as the vice president to send a clear message that gej is serving the interest of the northerners and the zoning formular should be sustained. I curse the day that i betrayed the true igbo leaders (i.e ekwueme, nnamani, a b c nwosu et al), and joined some happy-go-lucky elements to support this infidel.

Thanks.

I've always maintained i'm no gej fan, but i'm finding it hard to believe he merits d flak he has been receivin over dis zoning issue.

Have ppl forgot we r in a democracy? I have no doubt dat as c in c he can exert considerable leverage to influence d outcome, but does he really have d absolute say? The decision dat d status quo be retained, was it taken by GEJ alone? Was it not d majority of d party members? What was he expected to do, insist dat ''d senate president must come from d SE or i sack d party?''

reports have it that Mark is enjoying d support of quite a number of politicans, including about 27, as one newspaper put it. The only serious contender is said 2 be Goje, former gov

A lot of emotional responses on this thread

Is Ndigbo about to get into a tiff with GEJ over a position that doesn't actually promise development? I thought the Igbo folks were happy about the new developments in the SE such as the new international airports, dredging of the river, and upgrade of the seaports. If those developments started before the election, isn't GEJ likely to start other developments in the East to compensate for support in the elections?

Secondly, when Ndigbo gave its support to GEJ, did they think that he would make decisions in isolation? PDP is a party of individuals who are in the center for themselves only.

Ok

It is sad and very very disturbing that at the age of this country, people still perfer to play ethnic politics than national development.

udezue:

I am with Vicenzo, Chyz, EzeUche,
Ndi-Igbo propelled GEJ to Presidency yet he can't reciprocate because he is playing it safe? If we are not worth the risk then he and his PDP aint worth the risk either. Its time that we as a people adopt a hardline attitude towards everything in Nigeria. We have compromised enough and if we have grind shyt to a halt then let's do it. U can't use and dump us. Not the new generation. Ndi-Igbo don't have to go to war but Ndi-Igbo don't have to weaklings at all. Yorooba politicians de-camped to A.C.N but they are not playing ethnic politics? BS let us play the game like the rest. We took a nationalistic approach by throwing our weight behind a man who I don't remember was really a part of any mainstream Igbo or Eastern group. All we know is that this fisher man was our Eastern brother and when the North tried to bully him only the SE stepped in. The SW sat on the fence yet he side tracks us so he can please the core North that even killed ppl just to show their displeasure and the West that looked the other way. I don't mind David Mark retaining his seat after all he has been doing well but GEJ could have done better.

Please respect yourself and respect the died. Who told you the west sat of the fence ?. My father and Bode worked there butt off for Jonathan presidency so what are you on about. You people do not know anything about the west or it's politics so it is best you do not talk on things you know nothing about. A total for 7 corp members die in the north, 4 out of them were from SW geopolitical zone. So why are you complaining, we deserve that post as much as the SE.

Gbawe:

Stop revising history in your effort to paint others as demons while holding yourself as virtuous saints and maligned victims. It is shameful, disgraceful and very unfair to others !!! The SNG that took to the street everyday for Jonathan to be sworn in is an SE movement ? Tunde Bakare is an Igbo man ?  Kayode Ogundamisi who , through his Nigeria Liberty forum, was motivating Nigerians to March in support of GEJ on the Streets of  London and New York is from the SE abi ?  Femi Falana and Wole Soyinka who joined protestors defending GEJ are from the SE also. When issues of equity and justice were concerned the SW has not been found wanting in comparison to anyone . Don't confuse the region not endorsing GEJ hook, line and sinker to mean "the West looked the other way". No region did more to fight in ensuring that Jonathan was made acting President.

I don't mind enthusiasm for one's region but you cross the line when you start bending reality and fabricating outright lies. This statement is an outright lie and all Nigerians know it : You should tell us who did the most to defend GEJ when it mattered most and when apathy was not an option such as when the Turai cabal were hellbent on frustrating Mr. President.  

Ese egbon mi, Awon boys yi wo mo ikan kan.