Mazi Omife l. Omife
I am ashamed of Igbo governors. I am even more ashamed of Igbo delegates to the last Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries. I am ashamed to think of how eminent non-Igbo Nigerian leaders will feel looking at us. I mean people like former Head of State and President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; former Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Olu Falae; current leader of Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Pa Ayo Adebanjo; the Ijaw Nation leader, Pa Edwin Clark, Pastor Iginla and other prominent non-igbo Nigerians. I wonder how they who are sticking out their necks for Igbo presidency will feel.
I am ashamed to think how these people must have felt that Igbo presidential aspirants like Peter Obi went to see Gov Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State and the governor left his office to Rivers State to accompany Gov Wike on his presidential campaign. I am ashamed to think how they felt when Peter Obi went to see Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State at the Lion Building Enugu and the governor also left his office to Ebonyi to accompany Wike on his presidential campaign.
I am ashamed to think how Diaspora Igbos felt that Governor Hope Uzodinma rushed to Abuja to accompany Senator Ahmad Lawan, a Fulani, to pick presidential nomination form. I am ashamed to think how Igbos felt when our Igbere brother, former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu of Abia State withdrew from the presidential race for Lawan and called on other Igbo presidential aspirants to step down for Lawan, and wait for another eight years of Northern presidency.
I am ashamed to think how Igbo traders at Aba, Idumota, Alaba, Ladipo, Wuse, Nkwo Edo, Eke Awgbu, Ogbete, Main Market and other parts of Nigeria will react to this unprecedented betrayal of Igbo presidential project. I am consoled however that in spite of all the conspiracy of Igbo governors and PDP delegates, about four or five Igbo aspirants, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, Dr Nwachukwu Anakwenze etc sustained the Igbo spirit and courage by going ahead to contest the PDP primaries.
In our minds, we know the PDP Igbo presidential aspirants were not fighting for themselves. They were fighting to prove the point that it is the turn of Igbos to be president of Nigeria as supported by many eminent non-Igbos across the country. They were out to prove the point that Igbos are not second class citizens in Nigeria.
They took the footsteps of Nnanyi Zik and Ojukwu when they contested the presidency under Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) respectively just to prove the same point. But the Igbo delegates to the PDP primaries under reference sold out. Fools! Apart from two or three Igbo delegates, I can vouch for their honesty and Igbo patriotism who can never be intimidated with any amount of money and perhaps others that voted for Igbo aspirants, the rest of the delegates including Igbo governors have betrayed Ndigbo such that for the next eight years or more, Igbos cannot talk of the presidency.
Tomorrow, we Igbos will rise up to shout that Buhari is marginalising Igbos. But it is the Igbos that are marginalising themselves. Below is the state by state list of Igbo delegates to the PDP presidential primary.
Abia State delegates: Hon Victor Ubani, Chief Simon Eme, Chief Monday Amah, Hon P. C. Mba, Chief Clement Onukwue, Dr Ahaiwe C. Samuel, Dr Gershon Amuta, Chief Emma Ibegbulam, Elder Godwin Nna, Hon Dick Uduma, Chief Sam Njoku, Prof Paul Ananaba, Chief Reginald Ezenta, Hon Victoria Akanwa, Chief Ndidi Okereke, Chief Charles Ogbonnaya, and Pastor Emeka Enyema.
Anambra State delegates: Prof Obiora Okonkwo, Pharm Ezeukwu, Barr Tony, Nnamso Kenechukwu, Chief Cosmas, Hon Onochie Okagbue, Dame Jesse Balaonwu, Ezeanokwasi Luke C., Chief Chukwuma Basil Okechukwu, Chief Tagbo Celestine, Oli Felix Nwagbobu, Oseloka Obaze, Hon. Pst. Boniface Okoye, Sir Soni Ijezie, Nsofor Ugochukwu, Chief Samuel Ikefuna, Hon. T. M. Egboka, Chief Okey Ezibe, Barr. Ikenna Azubuike, C. I. O. Maduabum, Prince Samben Nwosu.
Ebonyi State Delegates List: Chief Julius Ibere, Sen. Emmanuel Agboti, Chief Julius Amah, Ikechukwu Mgrabu, Okohu Kennedy Ezenwa, Ifeanyi Oyibe, Elder Fred E. Udeogu, Livinus Nwekpa, Engr. Fidelis Nwankwo, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim, Benard Akoma, Hon. Christian Oselebe, Hon. Linus Okorie.
Enugu State Delegates List: Egu Isaac, Mbah Arthur Williams, Onyia Dubem, Patricia Nwobodo, Ndu Ben Collins, Aroh Chidi Nnanyelugo, Ukwuaba Godwin Emeka, Ogbu Osita, Ugwu Nnaemeka Bertrand, Edeh Anayo, Onu Michael Jude, Shere Daniel Utukwuma, Hyde Onuaguluchi, Ugwuanyi Lawrence Ifeanyi, Ezenwugo Raymond Nze, Okweli Dan Kinus.
Imo State Delegates List Hon. Alex Emeziem, Hon. Valentine Echebelem, Engr. Ben Nwaoluke, Hon. Oliver Enwerenem, Chief Chineme Ihieaku, Hon. Rufus Omeire, Fidelis Chukwuonye, Victor Assams, Chinedu Chukwuonye, Basil Amaefule, Josiah Nwosu, Chief Emme Nwaogu, Tony Mgbudom, Myke Ikokwu, Dr. Okey Onyejiaka, Barr. Chris Okewulonu, Hon. Sir Sydney Uneanya, Barr. Ken Golden Nwosu, Barr. Charles Ezekwem, Engr. Samuel Onuoha, Chief Eze Chukwudi M., Benjamin Ekwueme, Eric Ofordirinwa, Hon. Fabian Ogbonna, Ndukwe Nnawuchi, Chima Azu, Chief Henry Onwukwu.
We can now clearly see the conspiracy of Igbo governors and their respective State party delegates to truncate the Igbo presidential quest, at a time Igbos came closest to achieving that goal since the time of Zik’s ceremonial presidency over 60 years ago. People from other tribes have been talking of Igbos love for money. I am one of the people who have been defending Igbos against that perception. But now, I can see that I have been defending the indefensible.
We know that these true Igbos were not fighting for power or their own personal interest. We are waiting for the turn of APC. I have the full list of the APC delegates to the presidential primary. Let us see whether it will be another season of betrayal by Igbo delegates. I urge every Igbo man, woman and youth to copy and file the above list of Igbo delegates for the records, both for themselves, their children, their children’s children and posterity, for them to know when and where the rain began to beat Ndigbo into slavery.
At the end of the day, every action has its reaction; every human act has its reward. One day, soon or later, no matter how long it takes, Igbos will remember today.
