Let’s Understand Our Differences First.
….Is President Buhari A One Tenure President?
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Those who are familiar with the chequered relationship between the Great ZIK of Africa, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, and the Late Sardauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, will readily recall that their relationship came to a stalemate when DR. Nnamdi Azikiwe made an overture to the Sultan to the effect that both of them should forget their differences. Records have it that the then Sardauna of Sokoto, SIR AHMADU BELLO, responded in a manner that did not get down well with Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. The Sardauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, responded by saying that both of them should understand their differences first before deciding to forget them or not. It is on this basis that I am raising an issue of critical importance in the future relationship between the political descendants of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Sir Ahmadu Bello both of who died many years ago. While the Great ZIK who was born on November 16th, 1904 died on May 11th, 1996 at the University of
Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) in, Enugu, the Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, who was born on June 12th, 1910 died on January 15th, 1966 in the aftermath of the first military coup in Nigeria which took place on 15th January, 1966- thus culminating in the assassination of the Sardauna of Sokoto,Ahmadu Bello, and several other prominent Nigerians. Sir Ahmadu Bello was the first Premier of Northern Nigeria region from 1954-1966 while Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was the ceremonial Head of State of Nigeria.
I have been trying to give myself some leverage before dropping my message. Now the summary of this brief viewpoint is that Governor Okorocha of Imo State has whetted the appetite of a large section of Igbo people in his electioneering message which states that: “My second tenure as Governor of Imo State is a short cut to the search for Igbo President. In 2019, I will take over the Presidency from President Muhammadu Buhari.” Each time he makes this statement, the crowd will go wild with jubilation. Today, the only reason most voters in Imo State are desperate to vote for Okorocha’s second tenure as governor is his pledge that in 2019, he, Okorocha, will be president. At a time like this when everything has been politicized and politicians can only see issues from political binoculars, only media professionals can present a mirror through which society can look at itself and take a stand based on an informed mind. It is on account of this that I
am bringing this topic into the public domain, lest we box ourselves into a tight corner in 2019.
So, the crux of this topic is to ask the leaders of All Progressives Congress (APC) to take judicial notice of their pact with Governor Okorocha in regard to his becoming the next president in 2019. This appeal becomes pertinent because what this pact signifies is that President Buhari will be a one tenure President. It is pertinent to recall that the major reason most people were not in support of Buhari’s presidency agenda in 2015 was because in 2011, Alhaji Buhari had made a public statement to the effect that he would not vie for the Presidency again in his lifetime. So, when he dumped the vow to run for the Presidency, most people felt disappointed to discover that Buhari is not a reliable and trustworthy person. There were some others who voted against President Jonathan because they alleged that he, Jonathan, reached a secret pact with some political demagogues to cede power to the North in 2015. People in my social class are not aware
of this accord between President Jonathan and the Obasanjos of this world.
But in the topic under discussion, Governor Okorocha of Imo State is telling everybody who wants to listen that he will take over ASO ROCK from General Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd.) in 2019. So, there is a need to amplify this message in order that the APC may issue a rebuttal, if need be, in regard to this controversial message of the Governor of Imo State, lest this will be another obstacle to peace and tranquility in 2019.
The issue of the pact to cede power to Governor Okorocha in 2019 is pertinent in order to avert a recrudescence of the ZIK/Ahmadu Bello scenario where the Sultan rightly insisted that there was a need for both parties to understand their differences before discussing the issue of forgetting such problems. It was the renowned scholar, George Santayana, who once said: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
