Is Tinubu’s declaration an obstacle to Igbo Presidency? –By Abu Maigoro

In barely 13 months to the general elections, Nigeria is indeed in high temperature of political climate. Politicians are beginning to show their ambition to Mr President. And it’s no longer a speculation that Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu is vying for the office of the President in 2023. Probably this would be the first and the last attempt in his political career. Because he had the opportunity in the past but chooses to be humble ally to northern Presidential candidates like Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in 2007, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu in 2011 and PMB in 2015 & 2019. It is unguable facts that Tinubu had built a strong political empire that has a structure throughout the country. And his political associates are not limited to a particular party or group. So also the magnitude of his supporters cut across every tribe and region. Certainly, there’s no politician in the current dispensation that have deployed resounding strategy and long time planning to quest his ambition like Tinubu.

The right of every citizen to contest should not be seen as a sin against a particular region or tribe. Or a move which many believe may have foreclosed the clamour for Igbo Presidency. Because Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi also informed Mr President his intention to contest without making or giving references to Tinubu’s ambition. The brouhaha coming from Ohaneaze in respect to Igbo Presidency was not connected to reality but a strange political commotion. The only mandate necessitates anyone or group to counter Tinubu’s declaration should be based on legal factors stated in the Nigerian constitution or electoral act. The trend under multi-pary system opens opportunity for alliance and liberty for mutuality from different groups of interest. Therefore, In all sense of reasoning, Tinubu is neither formidable nor a barrier in the quest to actualize Igbo Presidency in 2023.
The language used by Chief Alex Ogbonnia, the spokesman of Ohaneaze while reacting to Tinubu’s declaration has reduced the political strength and confidence of Ndigbo in the national polities. How would one person singlehanedly coerces the whole region from achievening what is achievable if they really mean business?

It is unclear whether Tinubu had reneged any convenant with Ndigbo in respect to 2023 general elections. I recalled On September 7, 2021 Daily Post reports Ohaneaze Deputy President saying..” Tinubu was a fair leader who appointed Igbos into his cabinet during his tenure as Lagos State Governor.” He also said “Tinubu is needed for the unification of the southern bloc and Asiwaju Tinubu represents many things to different person or groups.” From this assertion, one may actually find it difficult to comprehends what Chief Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia wrote in an open letter to Tinubu in December 12, 2021 asking him to key into the Igbo Presidency in 2023. He said that “posterity would be kind of him if he (Tinubu’) toed the “path of reason, conscience and equity on the matter”. He further says “Tinubu would be embarking on a political adventure that lacks conscience and principle”

However, Senator Uzor kalu couldn’t relent to show up his political capability to checkmate Tinubu. In less than 24 hours he deployed wisdom about his feeling on Tinubu’s declaration. But it is in record that Tinubu had last November visited him in his villa mansion where he (Tinubu) informed him (Kalu) about his Presidential ambition. Senator Kalu’s reactions to Tinubu’s ambition was an indication of hurdles and thorns in the pathway but pretends to lead a tie wrack contest in the APC primaries against Jagaban. Apparently, Ndigbo have everything in their disposal to accomplished without considering Tinubu’s ambition as a threat specially now that the North abstains from running and majority of voters are yarning and wishful for southern president in 2023.

Abu Maigoro writes this article from Abuja and can reached via abumaigoro@yahoo.com