Emeka Maduewesi (Leader)
We read with anguish the recent precipitous and ill advised call on President Goodluck Jonathan to contest 2015 election by a certain Chief Arthur Eze and his gang of faceless so called Igbo elders.
Many of us are aware of the pedigree of this business man, who is unfortunately of Igbo origin, including his 1997 call on despotic General Sani Abacha to lead Nigeria for life. Luckily for Nigerians, God in His infinite wisdom intervened. He is back on this part of infamy.
Whereas Ndigbo overwhelmingly supported the election of President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 elections, we remain of the view that the President should not be distracted by relevance-seeking political jobbers with such calls, even when he is yet to deliver on his major promises to Ndigbo.
It is no secret that President Jonathan promised to construct second Niger Bridge within his first tenure as well as convert Enugu Airport to an International national hub. He also promised that south East Roads will receive urgently needed attention within the his current tenure.
As at today, non of these promises have been fulfilled. Second Niger Bridge is still in the “drawing board” and no international flight has yet landed or taken off from Enugu Airport. South East roads remain the worst in the country, including the Enugu-Onitsha Federal highway that Chief Arthur Eze traveled to Onitsha from Ukpo through. Enugu-PH highway is at best a death trap while Aba-Ikot Ekpene highway is virtually non existent as a road.
Even in sharing of national resources Ndigbo are yet to get any favors from this regime. No single refinery out of the six promised by President Jonathan is located in the South East even though three south east states, Abia, Imo and now Anambra are oil producing states. Revenue allocation is heavily skewed against Igbo states with one state receiving more monthly allocation than all 5 SE states. Even desert states that contribute next to nothing to the national revenue pool are getting more than two times the monthly allocation of oil producing Igbo states. Nobody is even discussing the promised 6th state for Ndigbo, to put the South East at par with other regions that have 6 states.
Our sons and daughters in this regime have not fared better. As recently as last week, one of the best performing Ministers in this administration, who is also of Igbo origin, was forced to resign his appointment because of intrigues and in fighting within the regime. As a reformist who is expected to naturally attract opposition from vested interests in the perennially corrupt power sector in Nigeria and we expected the President to have protected him. That the President attested to the man not having done anything wrong makes it all the more unbearable that he was forced out because of ill defined conflict of interest. Other ministers of Igbo origin are not faring better within this government.
It is therefore important to unequivocally state that while Ndigbo are not at war with President Jonathan, there is absolutely no reason, at this time, to endorse him or any other politician for 2015 election. More so when we are also interested in producing the best President of Nigeria in 2015 as already articulated by Ohaneze Ndigbo.
We are committed to working with Mr President to achieve his electoral promises, especially as relates to Ndigbo. If by 2015 we review his performance and determine that he has done well enough to deserve second term, we will join authentic Igbo leaders to make our position known.
For now, we encourage the President to focus on his work including securing the life and properties of all Nigerians. The frequent massacre of Ndigbo in parts of the country by terrorists masquerading as religious zealots is giving us sleepless nights. Real Igbo elders should be seeking a solution to this unfortunate targeting of Ndigbo rather than stomach-induced endorsements and calls for anyone to contest elections.
We also wish to warn those who will use our name to make all kinds of pronouncements without seeking the opinion of the generality of our people to desist from doing so or prepare to be ostracized. Even Joshua in the Bible spoke for himself and his family, not for the entire children of Israel. When Ndigbo want to speak, we know through whom we will speak.
Enough is enough!
Signed
FOR: Oganiru Ndigbo Foundation/Igboville
Emeka Maduewesi (Leader)
Uche Onuh Lucas (President General)
Maxi Okwu
Okey Igbokwe
Onyema Uche
Obichi Ikechi
