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By Wilfred Eya
The cry of injustice yesterday, again, resonated in Nigeria at the presidential primaries of the All Progressives Congress (APC). For the umpteenth time, the imbalance in the nation’s power equation against the South East geo-political zone reared its ugly head following the outcome of the ruling party’s presidential primary held at the Eagle square, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory(FCT).
With the landslide victory of the former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, in the highly tensed primaries, it is no more in doubt that the stage is set for a tough battle between the two main political parties in the country.
However, critical observers are pondering over the implication of the outcome of the APC primaries in the larger context of fostering unity and giving a sense of belonging to people of the South East.
With neither the PDP nor APC picking its candidate from the South East for the 2023 general election, the country will again have to continue with the moral burden of injustice to a major component of Nigeria. Many observers maintain that it would have done the country a lot of good if either the ruling party or the main opposition party had conceded its presidential ticket to the South East considering that the Igbo is one of the three major tribes in the country.
Not many were surprised when, at the primaries, two presidential aspirants from the South East, Senator Ken Nnamani and Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, during the two minutes given the aspirants to talk, queried the decision of the national leadership of the APC to jettison zoning in the race for the party’s presidential ticket.
Addressing delegates at the event, they wondered why the party, which had insisted on zoning during its March 26 national convention, where it elected a national chairman of northern extraction, would turn round to discard zoning.
Nnamani who spoke first said it was the height of injustice not to zone the ruling party’s ticket to the South East considering it is the only zone that is yet to produce the president of the country in the South since 1999.
Onu on his part recalled how he spearheaded the push for merger arrangement that birthed the APC. He also recalled how he made a big sacrifice by discarded his presidential ticket from the defunct All Peoples Party (APP) in order to ensure that two Yoruba sons, Chief Olu Falae from the South West, who had the ticket of the party, and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo were the only two candidates that contested the 1999 presidential election.
He expressed regrets with the level of injustice meted to the South East, saying that with South West and South South earlier producing presidents and vice president since 1999 and now trying to let South West have APC ticket, “where is the justice?”
Also, another presidential aspirant and former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, shunned the exercise citing injustice to the East as part of his reasons.
In a statement signed by his relation, Chinedum Nwajiuba, the aspirant said the party’s refusal to concede the APC ticket to the South East led to his action.
Mr. Nwajiuba, who hails from Imo State in the South East geo-political zone, said: “The understanding from the highest levels, prior to his involvement, and considering his role in the founding of the APC, was that of consensus as was with the National Chairmanship a few months ago.
“With that understanding, the presidential ticket was to come to the South, and the South East.”
Historically, in the nation’s power configuration since 1999 till today, the people of the zone inhabited by the Igbo, one of the three main tribes in the country, have neither produced the president nor vice president. A period that would be considered as the worst in the political history of South East.
In 1993, General Sani Abacha had created six geopolitical zones in Nigeria as recommended by former Vice President of Nigeria, the late Dr. Alex Ekwueme in a move to streamline the way the government was structured and to create balance in the polity. It was expected that presidential power will rotate among the zones, in South North circle.
It was in line with that arrangement that the PDP came on board in 1999 with the unanimous decision to zone the presidency to the South (Southwest precisely) to unite the country as the Southerners were agitated over the complicated and unfortunate demise of Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the annulled 1993 presidential election. Obasanjo from the South West thus emerged as the beneficiary of that arrangement, after a presidential election with fellow Yoruba man, Chief Falae.
When the South West was done with its two terms, power shifted to the North and the late Umar Yar’Adua took the position of the North.
Unfortunately, he died in 2010 prompting his deputy then, Goodluck Jonathan, to replace him. Jonathan, who is from the South South zone, completed Yar’Adua’s tenure and went ahead to do another term of four years. He did not however succeed in his second term bid, largely because of the clamour for power to shift to the North then.
Since 1999 till date, the South East has never produced the president or vice president. By next year when President Muhammadu Buhari will be leaving office, it would be 24 years the South East has not tasted executive power at the National level, be it president or vice president.
With Tinubu emerging as APC presidential candidate, what it means is that in the event of his victory at the presidential election, the South East will not be near the presidential seat till after 40 years. Many believe it would nurture mutual suspicion and hatred among the zones.
In the case of the PDP, the expectation is that Atiku would abort the political emasculation of the South East by picking his running mate from the zone. Among critical observers, the argument is also that should the former vice president’s searchlight for a running mate go outside the East, then it would take the zone 32 years to get near the seat of power.
Whatever is the calculation, many believe that the PDP provides the nearest option for the South East to get to power. The expectation therefore is that Atiku will not go outside the South East, considering the zone’s contribution to the party and sacrifices made, including the total exclusion from the inner caucus of the Buhari government because of, first, support for former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 and second, support for Atiku in 2019.
Many agree that historically, the South East has contributed more than any other zone in the life of the PDP as a political party in Nigeria today.
The main opposition party was founded in August 1998 by members of numerous organisations, including the groups known as G-18 and G-34 with Dr. Ekwueme, from the South East, playing a leading role.
Based on the contributions of the South East to the party, many names already come to mind.
Those who are eminently qualified and being mention include the former governor of Enugu State, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani; former Senate president who contested in the last primaries with Atiku, Anyim Pius Anyim; former Deputy Senate president, Prof Ike Ekweremadu and former governor of Imo State, Chief Emeka Ihedioha.
Many prominent Nigerians and elder statesmen have not minced words in stressing the need for power to go to the South East for fairness, justice and equity. Among them are the Ijaw National Leader, Edwin Clark; elder statesman and the leader of Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo; and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Obasanjo, in a recent comment, noted that “federal character, rotation of power and such other measures are meant to help our nation-building process and more sure-footedly, move Nigeria forward.”
He expressed support for the next president of Nigeria to come from the South East to ensure peace, justice, fairness and sustainable national development.
Also, leader of Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo has noted several times that power should go South East. According to him, if it is the question of merit, as recently propounded by some people, “till thy kingdom come, the South alone will produce the president.”
Critical observers argue that the position of these elder statesmen remains the best option for the political parties, especially the two dominant ones, to give the South East a sense of equity, justice and fairness. Their opinion is that rotational clause as enshrined in the constitution of the parties should be respected.
In South East, Atiku has many eminent people to choose from. Already, many names from the South East are being bandied about as possible running mate to Atiku.
Senator Chimaroke Nanamani
One of the leading names being mentioned is the former governor of Enugu State and Senator representing Enugu East, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani. Many believe that he has the intellect, exposure and wealth of experience to complement the PDP candidate.
A renowned medical doctor in the United State of America, who specialized in fetal medicine and high risk pregnancy, before returning to Nigeria for politics, Nnamani was governor for eight years, and has just won his third term ticket in the Senate, cumulatively.
Dr. Nnamani’s first foray in national politics was his election as the National President of the Nigerian Medical Students’ Association (NIMSA). He was elected Governor of Enugu State and re-elected for a second term in the 2003 Enugu State gubernatorial election.
His eight years tenure witnessed many groundbreaking projects, including the sprawling new permanent campus of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital and College of Medicine at Parklane, Enugu, the Enugu Campus of the Nigerian Law School, the Ebeano underpass road, dualisation of Rangers Avenue and Chime Avenue, opening of a new route linking Nza Street and Chime Avenue in Enugu, the new State Judiciary headquarters, commencement of the construction of International Conference Centre project, the Enugu State Building in Abuja, amongst others.
He was first elected to the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing the Enugu East Senatorial District and served from 2007 to 2011. He re-contested for the seat in the April 2011 elections, this time on the platform of the People for Democratic Change (PDC) after he was forced out of the PDO by formerrr GovernorSullivanChime. He lost the election in controversial circumstances. He vied for the same seat again in the 2015 elections and was widely projected to win when, but to the consternation of the populace, his main challenger was surprisingly declared as the winner, this time provoking spontaneous mass protests that rocked the capital city of Enugu for days.
But following overtures from the Enugu State chapter of the PDP, he again returned to the party in 2017. Ahead of the 2019 general election, he rested mounting speculations over his political future when he picked the senatorial nomination form of the party for Enugu East Senatorial District and won at the election. The former governor also recently picked the Senate ticket of his party ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Nnamani is a household name in South East and beyond. When he was governor, he ran a lecture series that took him across Nigeria. His signature phrase “To God be the Glory” became an acceptable refrain in Nigeria that wherever anybody said that, Nnamani is remembered.
Nnamani also earned the name “Ebeano” (where we are) because of his political family called “Ebeano.” He is so popular that whichever state in South East he enters will be shut down, as people will be hailing him “Ebeano” and dancing in the street. He is a likeable and charming personality, highly cerebral and extremely popular.
Nnamani’s Ebeano political family is formidable. Since 1999, this political block has produced all elected leaders in Enugu State till date. Former Governor Chime, current Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu etc are all products of Ebeano political family, including the PDP governorship candidate for next year’s election.
In view of his rich credentials, many see Nnamani as eminently positioned to serve as a running mate to Atiku Abubakar.
Anyim Pius Anyim
The Ebonyi State-born former Senate president who contested in the last primaries with Atiku is also one of the names being mentioned even though he was quoted to have said categorically before the primaries that he would not serve as vice presidential candidate to anyone who emerges in the PDP. Many however see him as one of the brightest politicians who may catch the attention of Atiku and the opposition party.
Anyim served as the President of Nigerian Senate and was the immediate-past Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
He was elected as Senator on the platform of the PDP in 1999 for the Ebonyi South constituency and was appointed Senate President in August 2000. He did not recontest for the position in 2003 and never sought for any elective position since then until his recent quest to pick PDP’s presidential ticket.
Ike Ekweremadu
In the permutations over those that could be considered as running mate to Atiku is also Senator Ekweremadu. As a professor, he has attained the zenith of academic excellence and in politics, he remains one of the shining stars in the Fourth republic.
Having built a great political resume at the grassroots, he was appointed the Chief of Staff, Enugu State Government House and subsequently the Secretary to the Government of Enugu State.
In 2003, Ekweremadu, for the first time, contested in the Senatorial elections and won. He was elected a Senato to represent Enugu West Senatorial District on the platform of PDP.
It is worthy to note that he was re-elected in the 2007 elections, and also in 2011 senatorial elections.
While in the Senate, he was elected the Deputy President of the Senate in 2007, a position he retained in 2011.
In the 2015 senatorial elections, he again contested and was re-elected and again adopted as the Deputy President of the Senate. However, his quest to become the PDP governorship candidate this year failed as pulled out based on the fact that the odds were against him.
Emeka Ihedioha
Daily Sun also gathered that former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and Imo State governor deposed by the Supreme Court, Emeka Ihedioha, is being mentioned by those working with the Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal. The Sokoto governor played a major role in the emergence of Atiku as presidential candidate. His stepping down for the PDP standard bearer turned the table in favour of Atiku. In view of that, many believe he may have a say who the running mate would be and that being an old political ally of Ihedioha, may support him for the position.
Ihedioha whose tenure as governor of Imo State was short-lived following the decision of the Supreme Court quashing his election also has a lot of experience in politics. In 2003, Emeka Ihedioha contested election for the House of Representatives and won, thereby representing Aboh-Mbasie-Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency of Imo State. He served as the deputy speaker of the House of representatives from 2011 to 2015 and then stepped down to contest as the Imo State governor. He once worked with Atiku as Special Assistant on Political Matters to the vice president in 2001.
