Ndiigbo & The Dirty Game In PDP Convention
Why the Peoples Democratic Party’s {PDP} national convention that was
initially slated for December 8 2007 didn’t hold is still a hard puzzle
to many people outside the political canopies. Even though some quashed
excuses why the convention could not hold had been given, observers were
yet to believe the excuses until recently.
The PDP’s exalted seat zoned to the South-east is today like an
albatross. It is brewing controversies from many quarters. This followed
the activities going on underground in the party’s hierarchical
networks. One wonders when Ndiigbo would be allowed to choose their team
in the political echelon than being compelled and used as political
follies and later dumped, relegating them to always be playing the
second fiddle in a nation teething to be one.
The events that characterized the Olusegun Obasanjo administration were
a typical illustration of the pendulous nature of Ndiigbo in the
Nigerian politics. Are Ndiigbo ever and always ready to be called the
errand boys? Nigerians saw how some buffoons called ABUJA BOYS under
Obasanjo were used to destabilize the Igbo states during the tyrannical
leadership of the Otta farmer. Onyema UgoChukwu and Ojo Maduekwe fought
the then Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu with orders coming from
Aso Rock, but Kalu surmounted all the canons projected against him. What
of Anambra State? That is a book, on its own. It cannot contain here.
Except Ndiigbo think now, the seat of errand boys would always be there
for them. And many Igbo sons and daughters are not pleased with this
beehive of melancholy.
During the presidential elections of last eight years, Nigerians saw how
Ndiigbo, over one hundred candidates, showed interest in the elections,
whereas in other zones it was a different ball game. Other zones
produced their consensus candidates as regards their mandate.
Today, if events unfolding their selves are anything to go by, then
Ndiigbo are on the track of mesmerism again. Ndiigbo are on the
threshold of producing a PDP chairman come March 8 that would only be
titular.
There was said to be underground plans by the Obasanjo and Tony
{Anenih’s} caliphates. The duos have locked their horns in the test of
power of whose caucus produces the PDP chairman of Igbo extraction.
While the likes of Abubakar Rimi and co. are firing Obasanjo to resign
as the head of PDP’s BoT following the many atrocious charges of sex
scandal against him by his son Gbenga, Obasanjo is vowing that his BoT
ascension was constitutional.
The G21 headed by Ken Nnamani and co. are fighting mad to whittle this
rather obnoxious proposal for Ndiigbo by these political extremists, Ben
Eze says the petition by the G21 to amend the party’s constitution came
late.
One biting his finger on the disappointment made the PDP henchman to the
petition of the G21, it is a shocker noting that the members of the G21
may be suspended from the party should they take to the court. This was
exactly the same Greek Gift Dr. Ali gave to the duos of Dr. Chris Ngige
and Chris Uba in the year 2005, not quite long Ali assumed office.
It is quite appalling that what will safe the G21 members to still be
called PDP members was only to raise their motion as AOB during the PDP
Convention if they are so keen about their gesture.
Politics as a game with its mathematics methodology, Ndiigbo should be
allowed to make their equation their answer than being forced to copy.
Copying would amount to expo. Why should Ndiigbo always be the end
equation of the Nigerian political mathematics? Why should any body that
is not Igbo set the pace for Ndiigbo when it comes to politics in
Nigeria?
If mot that Democracy allows the room for freedom of speech, does
somebody like Obasanjo supposed to speak in a country he saddled power
for eight years exhibiting the rule of law as if it were the rule of
Obasanjo? Even IBB was reported to be contesting how relevance he still
is by making sure that the Igbo-PDP chairman comes from his own group.
As this ‘networking’ progresses among these greyhaired politicians,
would the PDP chairmanship election be rigged against the wish of
Ndiigbo? Time will tell.
By Odimegwu Onwumere
Odimegwu Onwumere is a vibrant prolific author and poet, writes from
Oyigbo, Rivers State, Nigeria.
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