Magnus Eze, Enugu
The Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF) has appealed to Ndigbo not to despair as they mourn the defeat of their preferred candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 23 presidential election.
ADF President, Prof Uzodinma Nwala, who stated this in reaction to the reported adoption of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, by the state chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, flayed the action.
He explained that they were not just mourning the loss, but what the victory would have brought to Igbo had Atiku won the election.
Nwala, who equated the endorsement to dancing naked in the market place, urged any groups representing Ndigbo to be disciplined and circumspect at this trying period.
He said that the situation of the Igbo in Nigeria, today, was equivalent to that of the Jews, and explained that the Igbo nation has its own civilisation in the same sense, though it has been in crises, as a result of colonial rule and loss of the Nigeria-Biafra war.
The ADF boss charged Ndigbo to make recovery of their national spirit a top priority if they must survive the challenges facing them.
“This requires discipline within and among all those organisations claiming to speak for us, including the South East Governors’ Forum, Ohanaeze, ADF, etc. What is happening within Ohanaeze now, where a group of people will dance naked in Lagos, in the name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, is not in our collective interest. The only saving grace is that the President General of Ohanaeze has made Ohanaeze’s position clear.
“But, we are still left with the Uche Okwukwu rebellion. Why all these when Ndigbo in general are in a state of mourning? We are mourning not because PDP is being denied of her victory, we are mourning because we know what it means for us and what lies ahead of us!
“Those prodigal sons and daughters in our midst should remember one thing- the Jews were once in our shoes, today, they are the masters of the world in all departments of human social existence. There was dire reckoning for all those, whether dead or alive, who were responsible for their travail in those dark days of their history,” Nwala stated.
He, however, expressed optimism that Ndigbo shall emerge victorious in spite of the present setback.