THE quest to produce a president of Igbo extraction has become a common feature in the build up to every Nigerian election season, and the year 2015 is not expected to be any different. Already, there have been calls by notable Igbos on the need for the South East political zone to produce the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Tongues are already beginning to wag on who, among the Igbos, has the interest and aspirations of the Nigerian plum job. The truth remains that the presidency has eluded the Igbos since after the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe became the first President of Nigeria.

Ever since then, the Igbos have continued to play supporting roles in Nigeria’s political drama. To achieve the highest political office in the country, one may be tempted to ask, what efforts are the current Igbo leaders making? And more expediently, who could be the expected gladiators in this quest? Let us take a look.

Governor Rochas Okorocha: Rochas is the charismatic and a rising superstar Governor of Imo State. His philanthropic liberality and demonstrated exploits have endeared him to the hearts and minds of the people of Imo State in particular as well as across tribal and religious divides in general. Those were the ingredients that enabled him to cause what has been described as a political earthquake in Imo State in the last governorship election. His popularity and grassroots’ mobilization proved too powerful for incumbent Governor, Ikedi Ohakim, to contain.  But regional mass support has not always translated to electoral support in Nigeria (a good example was the late Awolowo), especially for a candidate from an opposition party to the ruling behemoth, PDP. And if the truth be told, the opposition as a whole still has a long way to go before it could be taken seriously in any quest for the Nigerian presidency.

Moreover, Rochas has served only one year as a governor and is still far from actualizing his campaign promises to the people. This Johnny-Just-Come status in the public executive cadre plus his current non-PDP affiliation put his possible aspirations in some question. Rochas, in short, is still a work in progress but a good one to watch.

Governor Sullivan Chime: Chime is the current Governor of Enugu State. He engineered the PDP juggernaut that decisively won virtually every seat of government in elections held in Enugu State within the past two years.

The Governor has a track record of overcoming daunting political onslaughts, and hopefully this will embolden him when he decides to take a shot at the Nigerian presidency.

If records and political tactical firepower are anything to go by, Chime has so far positioned himself as the most feasible Igbo presidential candidate.

As a sitting Governor of Enugu State,  the capital of old Eastern Nigeria, the epicenter of Igbo land and the purest PDP real estate east of the Niger, Chime seems to be the only Igbo politician who has laid a serious groundwork for 2015 considering the obvious fact that the last two Presidents have been former  PDP governors. Governor Chime appears to have the resources necessary to sustain a serious presidential campaign.

The Governor is said to have well-oiled political machinery which can line up potential boosters from a broad spectrum of political and traditional leaders across Nigeria. Whatever he may lack in pizzazz, he makes up for in good luck, opportunism, location and perhaps, momentum.

But the Governor has some obvious hurdles to scale should he plan on contesting for the Nigerian presidency in 2015.

Critics worry that he lacks the political deftness-cum-gravitas needed to govern Nigeria, as evidenced by his non-stop battles with virtually every political who-is-who from his state.

Senator Ken Nnamani: The former Senate President is a viable candidate for the Presidency and has the moral audacity and the experience to lead Nigeria.

Senator Nnamani’s popularity and credentials in the national politics of Nigeria soared very high when, as the Senate President, he helped scuttle President Olusegun Obasanjo’s ambition to foist his third term agenda on the Nigerian nation.

But that was then. Nevertheless, the Senator has managed to make himself a household name in all the corners of Nigerian politics.

However, his later association with IBB, who is widely known for his cancellation of the June 12, 1993 presidential election that was judged in some quarters as one of the fairest so far in the country, will always be viewed as a betrayal by some of his potential admirers and would-be supporters.

Besides, the current jury verdict on Ken is that he may lack the resources, hutzpah and wherewithal necessary for the execution of a serious presidential run, but time and efforts will tell.

Mr. CHIBUZO ONWUCHEKWE, former Chairman of  World Igbo Congress, wrote from Houston, Texas, USA.