By Chuks Eke
Imeobi Igbo Forum, IIF, an Igbo Grassroots Socio-cultural organization has stated that what Ndigbo need at this point in time is a President of Igbo extraction and not a Senate President of Igbo extraction.
The forum said it is wishing to remind Igbo political elites that Ndigbo have an unfinished business of having a Nigeria President of Southeast extraction and as such, do not need to engage in a struggle for Senate President now as it would be a distraction to them.
President of IIF, Dr. Mike Ikegulu who made the assertion in a press statement he issued yesterday, via Whatsapp, recalled that by the way, Ndigbo have had the opportunity of having five Senate Presidents in the past but could not achieve any meaningful political impact with it.
According to the forum, “From Evan Enwerem to Ken Nnamani to Pius Anyim and Chuba Okadigbo, Igbo Senate Presidency ended in a shameful manner with each of them upstaging the other to emerge”.
IIF contended that having exhibited the worst features of Igbo political elites in the past and considering the fact that our Igbo political elites have agreed that there is nothing wrong with a Muslim President handing over to another Muslim President, let a Muslim Senate President compliment the Muslim Muslim presidency, while the Southeast political elites continue with carrying the suit cases of the powers that be and at the same time, build bridges long and strong enough in their warped expectation to take Ndigbo to the presidency.
“Since our Igbo political elites did not see anything wrong with another Muslim succeeding a Muslim as approved by many Igbo political elites, just to spite Peter Obi, the only courageous Igbo man who devoted his time and energy to make Ndigbo proud, then NASS offices can’t be on the basis of ethnicity and religion”.
It would have been interesting to have the Federal Executive Council, FEC populated by only Muslims for a change. But whether we like it or not, Peter Obi has taught us to lay emphasis on integrity, competence and capacity.
