By Tony Edike
THE South East geo-political zone appears to be at cross-roads regarding who to deploy its support in the 2011 presidential election and leaders of the region are indeed worried that Ndigbo have failed to speak with one voice even as the presidential primaries hold next month.

The situation became more worrisome when the five governors from the zone came out to announce that none of them would contest the next presidential election and urged Ndigbo to forget about the position for now, but failed as leaders to direct or guide the people of the zone on the right candidate to support for the presidency.

After their meeting under the South East Governors’ Forum held at the Executive Council Chamber of Enugu State Government House last Saturday, the five governors of the zone, namely Peter Obi of Anambra State, Theodore Orji of Abia State, Martins Elechi of Ebonyi State, Sullivan Chime of Enugu and Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State who were present unanimously agreed not to identify with any of the presidential aspirants reiterating their earlier decision that none of them would vie for the position of president or vice president in the forthcoming election.

The governors, according to the communiqué read by Chairman of the Forum, Governor Peter Obi, said having discussed the unfolding political scenario in the country and after assessing the political developments, “we agreed to restate our earlier resolve to stand and work together irrespective of party affiliations, and that none of us, the governors, will vie for the post of president or vice president of the nation in the upcoming elections in 2011.”

“We will rather support for presidency, a candidate with the best programme that will address the imbalance in the country and marginalization of the South-East Zone,” Obi said, adding,, “We are not against anybody, but what we are saying is that we will only make our support known when all the aspirants have declared.  We are working for the interest of the region and not for our personal interests.”

But while responding to a question on why the governors of the zone have refused to endorse Jonathan like some of their colleagues have done in other geopolitical zones,

Obi said they were not in any way against the aspiration of the president as they were happy with his performances so far especially the way he had piloted the affairs of the nation since he came on board.  Obi went further to say that the governors would declare their position only when Jonathan becomes a candidate since they were not sure that he would run in the 2011 election.

Prior to the meeting, there were speculations that the issue of Jonathan’s endorsement would be a major decision that would be taken by the governors since their earlier resolution to stand aloof in the ongoing debate on Jonathan’s eligibility was received by Ndigbo with mixed feelings.  Many had expected that the governors who are regarded as political leaders of their respective states would show their followers the way when it comes to a crucial issue like the presidency, but contrary to expectations, they chose to speak for themselves.

This development has given rise to the emergence of several political pressure groups in Igbo land who had taken different stands on the issue of 2011 presidency, thus giving the impression that Ndigbo are not united and could hardly speak with one voice on such a crucial political matter.

As the confusion rages, a group of Igbo leaders held different meetings with the camps of some Northern presidential aspirants at Abuja where they reportedly agreed to support the zoning of the presidency to the North. Although some of the Igbo leaders from the South-East zone named as participants at one of the meetings convened by General Ibrahim Babangida’s camp have since denied being part of that decision,

The Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, who is the highest ranking Igbo political office holder, took the lead by initiating the South-East Political Summit.  Having consulted widely, he invited a frontline Nationalist and former Aviation Minister from Anambra State, Chief Mbazulike Amechi to convene the summit, but Ekweremadu appeared to have conceived a different agenda distinct from what the conveners set out.

The summit planning committee headed by Chief Ugochukwu Agballah, a governorship aspirant in Enugu State had almost concluded arrangement for the summit with massive media publicity, when the Deputy Senate President made a u-turn, announcing the cancellation of the planned summit based on the decision by the PDP National Executive Committee accepting zoning of the presidency between the North and South.

Ekweremadu’s action did not go down well with other conveners, who insisted that the summit must go on since zoning was not the only issue that the forum was intended to address in the interest of Ndigbo.  Chief Amechi issued a counter-statement informing those already invited to the summit to disregard Ekweremadu’s directive and ensure adequate participation. He declared that the “PDP as a party has a right to take their decision while Ndigbo have a right to take their stand.”

This development, however, took a negative toll on the attendance to the summit  penultimate Monday. Apart from the absence of the National Assembly members from the South East and governors from the zone, except Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State who sent a representative, notable political leaders stayed away.  Their absence, it was later learnt, was not unconnected with Ekweremadu’s directive conveyed in radio announcements and text messages to the invitees who had earlier indicated their willingness to attend the summit.

That notwithstanding the Federation Hall of Hotel Presidential, Enugu, venue of the summit was filled to the brim to the extent that hundreds of participants who could not secure seats stood up throughout the five hours deliberation.  The Chairman and Chief Convener, Chief Amechi and members of the planning committee declared on seeing the crowd of Ndigbo drawn from the Igbo speaking states of the South-East and the Diaspora.

Among the personalities that featured were Chief Mbazulike Amechi, former Anambra State governor, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Anglican Archbishop on the Niger, Maxwell Anikwenwa, Senator Dr Offia Nwali, Prof. Sam Ukpabi, Prof. Emeka Okpala, Bishop Obi Onubogu, Emeka OJukwu Jnr, who represented his father, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Chief Orji Nwafor Orizu, SAN, Chief Chris Echukwu, Chief Azuka Okwuosa, Chief Ohazulike, Eze Ndigbo Lagos and Mr. Jude Emecheta, Chief Okey Ogbodo  and Chief Osita Okechukwu.

Representatives of various political, women and youth organizations in Igbo land were also present just as professional bodies and active pro-democracy groups that command respect in the zone sent their representatives to the summit.

During the opening ceremony which members of the media were allowed to cover before the summiteers went into close-door session, the direction and motive of the summit became clear especially when the Chairman delivered his opening speech and asked some pertinent  political questions highlighting the imminent dangers Ndigbo could face in the event of making a wrong choice of presidential candidate in the coming dispensation.

Amechi  who is more concerned about the presidency coming to the South East geopolitical zone  under a zoning or rotational arrangement involving the six geopolitical zones as opposed to the North/South arrangement adopted by the PDP, queried:

“If we (Igbos) back a Northern candidate what guarantee do we have that he will win the 2011 elections?

“There is  a saying, “confide not in him that has once betrayed you”.  There was an agreement during the Shagari/Ekwueme era that at the end of Shagari’s second term, the NPN would sponsor an Igbo candidate for the presidency.  In order to stop the certain emergence of an Igbo Presidency, a North-inspired coup d’état was  staged on December 31, 1983.  What guarantee or assurance do we have that history will not repeat itself?

“If we support a Northern candidate and he loses to President Goodluck Jonathan will the bitterness between the so-called Eastern minorities and Igbo majority be exacerbated or doused?

“No incumbent President in Africa has ever been  defeated in any election; what guarantee do we have that there will now be a change no matter how much we may clamour for a free and fair and transparent elections?

“If President Jonathan loses the election can we be sure that the disbanded militants will not return to the creeks and pick up their weapons?  Were they really fully disarmed; if they were, have they forgotten their training?  How will such a scenario effect the economy and stability of the nation.

“Have we considered the vested interest of powerful nations like America and Britain who must want to protect their huge investments and dependence on our oil?”

The frontline nationalist, having set the agenda for discussion, went further to say that since in politics there is no permanent enemy, no permanent friend, the so-called hatred or bitterness of the Eastern minorities against Ndigbo was based on the political crisis of 1952 when Professor Eto Ita was requested by his party, the NCNC, to vacate his position as Leader of Government to make room for Dr. Azikiwe who was the National President and Leader of the NCNC that had majority in the Eastern House of Assembly.

“He refused to obey the party order along with some of his ministers, most of whom were Igbos, and the House of Assembly by majority vote, dissolved itself.  The fence that was broken against Eyo Ita in 1952 with Igbo majority can now be repaired in 2011 in favour of Goodluck Jonathan with the same Igbo majority,” Amechi declared.

He told the delegates that whatever side Igbos decide to support in the 2011 presidential election, “the important and essential thing is that we must sit down and negotiate as to where Ndigbo will fit in during the tenure of whomsoever we may support and beyond.“

Next to speak was a member of PDP Board of Trustess from Imo State, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, who emphasized the need for Ndigbo to support Jonathan in forthcoming election, saying that was the best option for the people of the South East for now.  He suggested that Igbo leaders should meet with Jonathan to negotiate for the collective interest of the South East zone and not the personal and selfish interest of individuals.

He declared that Igbos do not want the position of Vice President as the zone is likely to get the presidency depending on the decision of PDP.   “When PDP adopted zoning as a party policy, it did not take into consideration that a president may die in office and in the present situation, the party should look at the Nigerian constitution which empowers a Vice President to take over administration of the country in the event of a president’s death,” Iwuanyanwu said.

Other speakers at the summit made similar submissions and concluded that Ndigbo should  support Jonathan .

However, at the end of the summit, the people of the zone agreed to adopt President Jonathan as the presidential candidate to be supported by the zone in 2011 election, insisting that Jonathan presidency would not only further the Igbo cause, but bring the much needed development to the South East  region.

In the communiqué read by Chief Amechi, the participants, however, said that the Jonathan ticket would depend on negotiation that would enable Ndigbo table their expectations, adding that in consideration of national quest in Nigeria, “Ndigbo shall no longer accept to play second fiddle and considered irrelevant in a country where they played leadership roles during the struggle of its independence.”

The resolutions contained in the communiqué read: “At independence Nigeria was made up of three regions which later became four regions that were further divided into states by military fiat over which Ndigbo had little or no say. The North has ruled the country for 33 years, the West 12 years, zoning or no zoning, rotation or not, the old Eastern region, for the sake of equity and justice, shall produce the next president of Nigeria.

“The region that produced over 90 percent of the wealth of the country should for a change, have a prime position in the governance of the country.

“That given the fact that what is now known as Bayelsa State used to be Brass District of Eastern Region, and that the Eastern and Midwestern regions have been marginalized in the presidency of Nigeria, consequently, the summit has decided to endorse the presidential aspiration of Dr Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan.”

The endorsement of Jonathan by the group notwithstanding, there are other Igbo groups and interests who are opposed to the decision of the Amechi led group and have already vowed to hold another summit where Ndigbo would be given a better opportunity to take a stand on the 2011 presidency.

A group, Coalition of South East Human Rights and Pro-Democracy Activists, COSEHRAPA, which has people like Chief Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, in a statement issued Tuesday, disowned the South East Police Summit and the endorsement of President Jonathan for another term, saying those who took such decision were merely expressing personal opinions.

The statement which was signed by Chief Willy Ezeugwu, Secretary General of Conference of Nigeria Political Party, CNPP, described those who attended the Enugu summit “as political jobbers, who are completely on their own and do not in any way represent the hardworking man from the East.”

COSEHRAPA said it would hold another summit on Saturday to give Igbos the opportunity to genuinely make their points and consider all available options before a decision on who to endorse as presidential candidate will be made at the appropriate time.

“It is amazing that ‘these so called leaders claimed to have endorsed a candidate when the social cultural Ohanaeze could not reach a decision on the same matter because those incharge of the body are wary of deciding without making widespread consultations,” the group said, adding that “it is unwise to have hastily declared support for the incumbent president, who has so far refused to declare his intent to contest, when more aspirants will still emerge for the same position such that it will be necessary to vigorously screen those offering themselves for service to make an informed choice.”

However, despite the criticism that trailed the Enugu Summit, the organizers are satisfied that they have taken the best decision on behalf of the Igbo nation and have vowed to defend the position to ensure that Ndigbo deploy their support for Jonathan in the next election.

But the confusion in Igbo land over the 2011 presidency is yet to be over as the various camps appeared not ready to harmonize their positions regarding who to support in the coming election. It is, however, believed by many in the South East that the eventual declaration of Jonathan for the presidency would sway the support of Ndigbo in the South East states in his favour.