Politics
Obasanjo urges Ndigbo to take aim at presidency in 2019
Nigeria’s former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, has challenged Ndigbo to aim for the country’s most coveted political position , the presidency.
Never one to shy away from expressing himself vigorously on critical national issues, Obasanjo made his views known Tuesday in Abeokuta while hosting a select team of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), led by Bishop Tunde Akinsanya, who were at his Hilltop mansion for a special New Year service in his honour.
Alluding to issues of marginalization and injustice in Nigeria, Obasanjo said, “…irrespective of the thinking of the people ahead of 2019, I personally think that the South-East should have a go at the Presidency too.
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“The same is happening here. If Ijebu and Egba have produced the governor, it is only fair and just to allow the Yewa or Ogun West to also produce governor. Or else, one day, they will also stand up and take up arms against this injustice against them. That is my personal position on this.”
While noting that ethnicity remains a major source of conflict, Obasanjo admitted influencing the choice of former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2009, arguing that it was deliberate to ensure ethnic balancing in favour of the South-south region.
It is not clear if Obasanjo’s views would translate to an undiluted support for a candidate of Igbo extraction in the 2019 presidential poll.
Late last year, the former president had come hard on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), led by Muhammadu Buhari, for spending too much time on fault-finding with Jonathan’s administration rather than focusing and tackling challenges of the moment.
Obasanjo is still believed to be a close confidant of President Buhari.
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Roland Uchendu Pele
January 25, 2017 at 7:03 am
I, personally, do not see failure to get a political position as injustice. The idea of rotating the governorship or the Presidency among tribes and clans is just one bad idea that will never yield any fruit. Let the best person lead, irrespective of their state of origin or geopolitical zone.
JOHNSON PETER
January 25, 2017 at 7:36 am
And with what you said, a particular tribe will always feel they are the competent people to always rule and you know what that means, they will always drive development to their side at the expense of other tribes. Nigeria is not mature for the type of your philosophy. Power has to be based on rotational principles to exhibit equality of all tribes.
Joy Madu
January 25, 2017 at 10:28 am
the problem we are facing in this country is lack of unity.we believe so much in tribalism that is why things don’t work out well in this country
Balarabe musa
January 25, 2017 at 8:20 am
Obj can be so trickish. He is triggering the igbos to fall into a ditch. They should better accept fate , we could have mercy to give them vice presidency.
Amaka Okoro
January 25, 2017 at 10:19 am
Shot up which one is mercy.I believe you know what the igbos can do if they want something.And beside the igbos are good when it comes to ruling
Margret Dickson
January 25, 2017 at 9:12 am
Ohh… now I see why Obasanjo was in close door metting with the Ndigbos recently, he has started campaigning for them ahead of 2019 elections. Obasanjo and his many chameleon ways
Amarachi Okoye
January 25, 2017 at 10:13 am
Ndigbos should be very careful with the way they listen to obasanjo”.who knows his next plan to was the igbos ,
Johnson Amadi
January 25, 2017 at 9:21 am
Obasanjo is speaking for the Igbos like he knows what we truly want deep inside of us. What we want is not the position of a Nigerian President, but a Biafran president that will be solely committed and true to us. Obasanjo should take his advise elsewhere, may be the Yorubas need it more, fight for your Nigeria while we keep our Biafra
Animashaun Ayodeji
January 25, 2017 at 9:25 am
It is now so obvious that you don’t know your Biafran dream is long dead, it died before you were born, didn’t you ask your parents to give you the details about its death? Just shut your mouth and don’t you ever mention anything Biafra again. Enemy of progress
chichi emerue
January 25, 2017 at 10:37 am
obasanjo should keep his advice to himself because we the igbos don’t need it.we believe in what we know better and we are great achievers
Kelvin Onuabuchi Onyia
January 25, 2017 at 2:06 pm
He is entitled to his opinion”but one only wonders why all this issue should be giving him headache’ is it truely because he loves nigeria or because the biafra question and agitation going on in the south east is threatening there hold on the oil blocks of the niger delta people. Its my own opinion.
yanju omotodun
January 25, 2017 at 3:35 pm
“And the man fooled the Ndigbos” will be the end of the story comes 2019 if any igbo man tries to contest. They have lost that exalted seat since 1966 due to greediness.