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OBASANJO’S PHOTO SHOWS A TRUE RESEMBLANCE OF HIS ALLEGED IGBO FATHER

By Otu Obiahu, AJM NEWS

Could It Be The Reason Chief Obasanjo Said In One Of His Campaigns In Anambra:

“I Have Same Right Every Anambra Citizen Has, And Any Of My Children Has The Right To Govern Anambra State”~ Obasanjo

Just this week, there has been lots of arguments and controversies over the true ancestry of the former military Head of State and two-time President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, based on an alleged claim by Senator Adefuye, that Chief Obasanjo is an Igbo man.
According to the Senator, Obasanjo’s father hails from Anambra State while his mother is from Ogun State.

However, some have taken time to dig deeper to unravel the truth regarding Chief Obasanjo’s lineage, tribe, and who really fathered him, and below are some of the discoveries::

Obasanjo’s father was a former police officer who later became the Obi of Onitsha, by name Igwe Onyejekwe Okwudiri.
It was alleged that the Obi, who died in 1970, served as a police officer in Abeokuta around 1930s, the period the former President was born. He (the police officer) was alleged to have had a fruitful affair with an Owu woman, which resulted to the birth of Obasanjo.
Prince Onyejekwe later left the police work and returned home to answer the call of his people, but as a prince, who would later take over the mantle of leadership as Obi, he was prevented by the dictates of tradition, from marrying a woman alien to the custom of Onitsha people, thereby cutting in entirety his relationship with the Owu woman, Obasanjo’s mother.
Obi Onyejekwe, described by those who knew him as a tough, domineering and a quarrelsome leader, ruled the ancient city of Onitsha for a couple of years. Palace sources remember him for his mood swings and strength of character.

The pictures of the two statesmen, Igwe Onyejekwe and that of Obasanjo show a striking resemblance, though that is no DNA proof. This puzzle of resemblance has for several years kept many in confusion while it had also cleared every doubt in some people’s mind about the true lineage of Chief Obasanjo.

However, historians may need to do more research about Obasanjo’s origin.

Historians may need to dig more to establish if the issue is a matter of a biological father whose offspring was adopted by his mother’s relations, after all, adoption legally speaking would make him to permanently cut the cord that links him with his taproot.

Like every leader of his status, many are anxious to see the picture of Obasanjo’s father and to read more about the missing links of the former President’s paternal ancestry, which AJM NEWS have also attached to this very post.

We still ask: Is Igwe Onyejekwe Okwudiri the real father of Chief Obasanjo?

Over To You!

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AGITATION FOR 2023 IGBO PRESIDENCY GATHERS MOMENTUM

{… The Formation Of A Security Outfit By Nnamdi Kanu Would Thwart The Plan Of Southeast Producing A President In 2023~ PROF. KALU}

AJM NEWS

A Pan-Ohanaeze Ndigbo socio-political organisation, Conference of Igbo Professionals Worldwide, (COIPOW), said it has commenced an intensive campaign with series of meeting and lobbying, to enable the South-East region produce the next president in 2023.

The group, however, expressed concern that the formation of a security outfit by the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, would thwart the plan as most leaders from other zones would perceive it in a bad light and withdraw their support.

COIPOW’s National President, Prof. Patrick Kalu, and National Secretary, Dr Uche Mbaka, in a statement on Wednesday, described the Security Network as Illegal, and appealed to the people of the region not to take Kanu and his security structure seriously.

Prof Kalu said: “We wish to express our profound appreciation to the key Igbo leaders who attended our just concluded emergency meeting in Akwa, Anambra State, where we deliberated and agreed on pushing for Igbo presidency come 2023.

“This is the sure way to go and not the way the acclaimed leader IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wants, through the barrel of the gun. The gunpoint approach by Mr Kanu is certainly not the way-out and he must be told so loud and clear.

“We cannot be demanding president of Nigeria on one hand, and on the other hand, supporting IPOB which is being fraudulently financed by Kanu and his agents to destabilise a united Nigeria through cessation and a parallel security organisation.”

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GOVERNORS OF NDDC STATES SHOULD SPEAK UP; THEIR SILENCE OVER THE LOOTING IN NDDC IS SUSPICIOUS- KALU

AJM NEWS

The National Coordinator of People’s Democratic Party Coalition, Chief Dr Emeka Kalu, has described as worrisome, the total silence of all the Governors from the NDDC States over the plot by Godswill Akpabio and the Presidency to sabotage the role of NDDC Agency to the oil producing region by appointing a sole Administrator that will make it expressly possible to embezzle the N453.2B 2020 budget of the Agency without recourse to the suffering masses of the area, interalias, environmental degradation and neglect by successive federal governments.

Recall that In a statement to the press, Chief Kalu threatened that if the intended rape on the collective future of NDDC members states, which he belong to, is allowed to proceed with impunity, the concerned citizens of the region will have no option than to embark on heavy regional protests and/or other related civil disobedience to register their displeasure.

He countered that the appointment of Sole Administrator for NDDC against the rules establishing the agency is tantamount to creating highway traffic to further loot, rape, plunder and mismanage what is left of the hemohearging ministry under Godswill Akpabio and therefore it is calculated effort at aiding and abetting corruption by the Buhari led administration.

“I am yet to understand why the Governors from the NDDC States have refused to issue any statement against this illegality by Akpabio and President Buhari. Does it mean they have a stake in the skewed arrangement to hand over the future of their region to one family?

“I am challenging the Governors to lend their voices by prevailing on President Buhari and Godswill Akpabio to rescind their decision to impose a Sole Administrator against the law establishing the agency so that we will not be forced to believe that the Governors are complicit.

“We are demanding for an end to the corruption and impunity that has made NDDC a conduit for milking the federation in the name of a region that hardly benefit from the agency that was meant to spearhead the development of the area.

“Enough is enough, this is time to know our real enemies in Niger Delta, not time to maintain criminal silence in the face of open blackmail of your people. The governors should speak up now.

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NDDC: DR. KALU URGES PRESIDENT, NASS TO HALT PLAN TO STEAL N453.2B WITH SOLE ADMINISTRATOR

AJM NEWS

The National Coordinator of PDP Coalition and South East Director of Reset Nigeria Group, Chief Dr Emeka Kalu, has called on the President of Federal of Nigeria, President Mohammedu Buhari, The President of the Senate, Senator Ahmed Lawan and Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila to as a matter of National interest and for the good of people of Niger Delta whose future is being mortgaged, put a stop to the plan of Senator Godswill Akpabio to turn the agency to a private investment by appointing his brother Sole Administrator for NDDC to enable them divert the 2020 budget of N453.2 billion for personal use.

In a statement personally signed by Kalu and made available to the press, he threatened that if the intended rape on the collective future of NDDC members states, which he belong to, is allowed to proceed with impunity, the concerned citizens of the region will have no option than to embark on heavy regional protests and related civil disobedience to register their displeasure of the attempt to rob their fortune in broad daylight by connivance of few cabals in the region.

He insisted that appointment of Sole Administrator for NDDC is tantamount to creating highway traffic to further loot, rape, plunder and mismanage what is left of the hemohearging ministry under Godswill Akpabio and this illegally will not be allowed to stand.

The government of President Buhari has tounted much about fighting corruption, this particular corruption must be fought intoto to avoid further breakdown of peace in the already heated and fragile polity.

The National Assembly should as a matter of urgency swear in a substantive caretaker committee that will man the agency while Akpabio continue with his forensic audit of the Agency.

“We totally reject the attempt by Akpabio and his co travelers to pocket NDDC by appointing his brother as Sole Administrator who will completely hand over the NDDC budget to Akpabio and his collaborators to share while the region remains in abject poverty, thereby betraying the purpose for which NDDC was set up”

“It is utter illegality to imagine the decision by Mr. President to appoint Effiong Okon Akwa as Sole Administrator to ‘oversee the ongoing forensic audit of the Commission to its completion’. This is alien, illegal, void and seriously offends the fine provisions of Sections 2, 3 and 4 of the NDDC (Establishment) Act, 2000.
It is also a typical of a man presiding over his case if Akpabio is allowed to use his brother to oversee audit of money he is accused of embezzling, and by so doing, Mr President will be aiding and abating crime, fraud, embezzlement and encouraging corruption in the high places, unless the presidency gained from the proceeds of the undoing drama in NDDC under Akpabio.

“The fact remains that NDDC is a creation of law and cannot be operated based on the whims and caprices of President Muhammadu Buhari or any other person for that matter.

“We therefore demand that your good offices should not for any reason authorize the spending of the approved N453.2 billion
being 2020 Budget for NDDC or any part thereof by Effiong Okon Akwa for purposes of running the affairs of the Commission as this will also make the Senate President and Speaker of House of Representatives accomplices to the well-orchestrated crime against a region that has already been bedeviled by poverty, underdevelopment and neglect from the leadership of this nation.

“Let me conclude by saying that if this illegality is allowed to sail through, it means that NDDC is just a window dressing where the President appoint a man from the NDDC region as figure head for the purpose of awarding money that will be retrieved for sharing among them and not actually an Agency for development of Niger Delta Region.

“I stand to be proved wrong by the President and NASS.

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OBASANJO IS AN IGBO MAN, SOUTH WEST HAS NOT PRODUCED PRESIDENT SINCE 1999, SAYS  SENATOR ANTHONY ADEFUYE

{… Obasanjo Is Not A Yoruba Man. He Is An Igbo Man From The SouthEast. His Father Is From Anambra While His Mother Is A Yoruba Woman. So 2023 It’s The Turn Of The Southwest, Says Senator Adefuye}

AJM NEWS

Senator Anthony Adefuye, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Tuesday said it is the turn of the South-West to produce the President of Nigeria in 2023 as the only region that is yet to do so since the return of democratic governance to the country in 1999.

Speaking in an interview, Adefuye said those clamouring for the Presidency to go to the South-East are wrong as the region produced former President Olusegun Obasanjo who was in power from 1999 to 2007.

According to him, Obasanjo is an Igbo man because his father hailed from Anambra state while his mother is a Yoruba woman.

He added that while in office Obasanjo concentrated most of his efforts towards developing the South-East, including appointing five Ministers as well as the Central Bank Governor from the region while he completely abandoned the South-West.

He said: “I believe that in 2023, the APC will zone the Presidential ticket to the South. When it comes to the South, then it will be narrowed down to the South West because that is the only region that has not produced the President since 1999. It has always been the North and the Igbos.

“Some people may argue that what about Obasanjo? Obasanjo is not a Yoruba man. He is an Igbo man from the South-East. His father is from Anambra while his mother is a Yoruba woman. And that was why during his tenure, he completely ignored the South West. For example, throughout his eight years, he did nothing on the Lagos- Ibadan expressway.

“But he did a lot for his people in the South-East. He picked five Ministers from there and even appointed the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria from Anambra where his father comes from.

“So, it is right for the South-West to demand for the Presidency in 2023. What we should be doing now is working towards 2023 to ensure that the Presidency comes to the Southwest. The Southwest has never produced the President before,” he said.

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IGBOS IN SOUTH SOUTH CANNOT USE PRESIDENTIAL SLOT MEANT SOUTH EAST IN 2023, SAYS ANYIM PIUS

Otu Obiahu, AJM NEWS

A former President of the Senate and SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, at the weekend restated his support for zoning of political offices in the country.

Senator Anyim, however maintained that political office zoned to the Southeast does not extend to Igbos from a zone outside the Southeast political zone, especially the South South.

States like Delta, Rivers, Edo  and Benue states have Igbo speaking people with some  , including  Transportation Minister and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, reported to be eyeing the Presidency in 2023.

The Southeast has been strident in its demand to have a shot at the Presidency after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure  on the grounds of equity and justice.

The engagement, according to him, will engender confidence and create an opportunity for making the necessary compromises to secure their (other zones) support and votes.

The  lecture was titled “Identifying the political interest of the Igbos of the Southeast geo-Political zone in Nigeria and Strategies for Its  actualization.”

The former Secretary to the Government of the Federation under the Goodluck Jonathan administration, advised the Igbo to have it at  the back of their minds that Igbo President would not come to them as a “gift” but something that they must work hard for.

He pointed out that the concept of equal citizenship means that the nation, its resources, and leadership belong to all Nigerians.

His  words “The rotation of prime positions among geopolitical zones has no doubt become a common practice such that, its breach generates political discontent.

“The point to note is that a political benefit accruing to any geo-political zone cannot be satisfied by appointing any person outside of that geo-political zone irrespective of commonality of language or culture, i.e. political office zoned to the Southeast does not extend to Igbos from a zone outside the Southeeast political zone.”

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IDENTIFYING THE POLITICAL INTEREST OF THE IGBOS OF THE SOUTH-EAST GEO-POLITICAL ZONE IN NIGERIA AND STRATEGIES FOR ITS ACTUALISATION

TEXT OF A LECTURE DELIVERED BY SEN. ANYIM PIUS ANYIM AT THE 6TH WORLD IGBO SUMMIT HELD ON THE 18TH DECEMBER 2020 AT GREGORY UNIVERSITY, UTURU, ABIA STATE.

INTRODUCTION
Let me begin by expressing my profound gratitude to the Leadership of Gregory University and particularly the World Igbo Summit Group and the Igbo Renaissance Centre of the University for the honour of this invitation. I am proud of what this University has come to represent in our collective effort to build a better society in Igbo land and Nigeria as a whole. I understand this is the sixth edition of this lecture series. I also know that very eminent individuals, academics, and leaders have delivered this lecture before me. I want to thank Gregory University for this thoughtful initiative and urge them to sustain it.
I looked at the topic provided by the organisers, for this lecture “Building Cooperation, and viable networks to strengthen the Igbo interest within the Nigerian Federation” and decided to tinker with it. Let me crave the permission of the World Igbo Summit Group to adjust the topic to be “IDENTIFYING THE POLITICAL INTEREST OF THE IGBOS OF THE SOUTH-EAST GEO-POLITICAL ZONE IN NIGERIA AND STRATEGIES FOR ITS ACTUALISATION. Permit me not to give reasons for the adjustment but suffice it to say that the new topic will shape my thoughts to flow directly to the political mood of the moment. I shall, therefore, try not to be academic but practical. I shall also try to be short and direct in making my points and suggestions. Accordingly, I shall attempt my brief discussion of this topic under the following headings.
– Who are the Igbos?
– How are the Igbos of the South-East geo-political zone located within the Nigerian politics?
– What is the present-day political interest of the Igbos of the South-East geo-political zone?
– The quest for the election of a Nigerian President of South-East extraction and strategies for its actualisation

WHO ARE THE IGBOS?
Igbo land is located in Southeastern Nigeria with a total land area of about 41,000 km². It stretches from the low-lying riverbank of the Niger river comprising of the Aniomas of Delta State through to the Ikweres of River State, cutting the fringes of Cross River and Akwa-Ibom States to the Igbo heartland of Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Abia and my own very Ebonyi State. On the Northern flank, the Igbo nation, shares affinity with a number of other communities e.g. Umezekaoha of Benue State and Eke Avurugo community in Kogi State. The Igbos are one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa and comprised of about thirty-two million people, i.e. about 18% of the Nigerian population.
In his work titled “the Ibos of Nigeria, Ancient Rites, changes and survival”, published on the 1st of July, 1990 by Edwin Mellen, Mr Njoku, John E. Eberegbulam, described the Igbos as immensely proud, dynamic, progressive and ambitious people.
I can describe the Igbos after President Kenedy’s choice description of America as “a country noted for progress and a nation reputed for strength”. The Igbo nation is no doubt a people latently enterprising, naturally brilliant and so fast in learning, noted for egalitarianism and so treasures their independence of mind, of body and of business. They are of great good conscience and so love justice and equity. Survival flows in their blood and so they are ingenious and creative. They make good of every endeavour, be it in politics, business, academics or science. They are naturally good managers of men and resources. They are tenaciously curious, highly mobile and spirited for progress. They make good business leaders and public administrators. In fact, the spirit of the Igbo man is the spirit of enterprise. They are widely travelled and can be found in every corner of the globe. They are friendly and love strangers.
One can see from the above that the interest of every Igbo man at any time is diverse but paramount among which is the peace and progress of the community he finds himself. However, the focus of our discussion today is the political interest of the Igbos of the South-East geo-political zone
HOW ARE THE IGBOS OF THE SOUTH-EAST GEO-POLITICAL ZONE LOCATED WITHIN THE NIGERIAN POLITICS?
The Nigerian nation for political administration is structured into states. There are 36 States in Nigeria, each of which constitutes an independent federating unit, the totality of which makes up the Nigerian Federation. Each State comprises of an administrative capital with component local government administrations and federal constituencies. By virtue of being a federating unit, each State is empowered under the law to make its legislation, budget and expenditures. Above all, each State draws from the Federation Account following the Federal sharing formula. The central point of emphasis here is that each State is politically autonomous. Accordingly, political rights are exercisable solely based on one’s membership of the State regardless of his or her ethnic nationalities. Consequently, though there are Igbos in Delta, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Benue, Kogi and Cross River States, their political rights are exercisable as members of their respective States. Their rights do not extend to any possibility of their representing the Igbos in any other State.
The next political structure is the geo-political structure. Indeed, the zonal structure has not found legal backing, but there is no gainsaying that it has assumed a moral force waiting to be constitutionalised. The zoning principle has found expression in the allocation of political and developmental benefits. The rotation of prime positions among geo-political zones has no doubt become a common practice such that, its breach generates political discontentment. The point to note is that a political benefit accruing to any geo-political zone cannot be satisfied by appointing any person outside of that geo-political zone irrespective of commonality of language or culture. i.e. political office zoned to the South East does not extend to Igbos from a zone outside the South-East geo-political zone.
In all, I assert that ethnic demography is not the same as political geographic boundaries, and so what belongs to the South-East geo-political zone cannot be claimed by any Igbo man outside the South-East geo-political zone.





WHAT IS THE PRESENT-DAY POLITICAL INTEREST OF THE IGBOS?
I have heard many ask, “what is the interest of the Igbos of the South-East geo-political zone?”. Some others will rhetorically ask, “is it secession or the Presidency?”; more recently, restructuring has featured most prominently in the basket.
I have noted above that given the intellectual endowment and versatility of the average Igbo man; his interests are diverse per time. Some have even posited that the Igbos should limit their interest to commercial and entrepreneurial concern;  (areas of famed comparative advantage). I make bold to say that no matter the natural endowment of the Igbo man, it does not remove from the fact that man is a political animal. It is also important to note that the concept of nationality and citizenship has elevated the desire of any man to belong to a national entity where he enjoys full rights of citizenship. It is essential to understand that the implication of citizenship to any man is the benefits that flow from it, i.e. right to vote and to be voted for, equality before the law, protection of fundamental rights etc. These rights can be summarised as social, political and economic rights. The benefits of these rights to the citizens are the central pillars underpinning modern society and democracy. The denial of these rights or lack of protection when demanded is the bane of every political agitations which may find expression through various responses and approaches.
It is my opinion that the Igbos of the South-East geo-political zone is in continuous search of a system, or if you like, a polity that guarantees and secures his social, political and economic interest based on equality of citizenship, equity and justice. I make bold to say that the Igbos of the South-East geo-political zone can find this in Nigeria. The journey to building an equitable society is usually challenging and rough, but many nations have arrived safely from this journey. It is, therefore, my position that those who posit restructuring have a point but should work harder to secure national consensus to make it possible. Also those who advocate for President of Nigeria of South-East extraction should diligently and boldly pursue it for the time has come, and the time is now.
It is, therefore, my considered view that the present-day political interest of the Igbos of the South-East geo-political zone is to attain the Presidency of Nigeria come 2023.

PERSPECTIVES OF THE QUEST FOR PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA OF SOUTH EAST EXTRACTION AND THE STRATEGIES FOR ITS ACTUALISATION.
I shall consider the perspectives under three critical questions and provide answers alongside suggested strategies i.e.
– Is President of South-East extraction a right?
– Is President of South-East extraction an entitlement?
– Should President of Nigeria of South-East extraction be a gift?

IS PRESIDENT OF SOUTH-EAST EXTRACTION A RIGHT?
Under the Constitution of Nigeria, every adult of 40 years of age is qualified to be elected to the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Accordingly, there is nothing under the law that disqualifies any Igbo man from aspiring to be President; the challenge is capacity to meet the mandatory requirement of the highest number of votes and spread.
The other angle to this perspective is whether zoning the Presidency to the South-East geo-political zone is a right? Legally, the answer is no, but morally there is a merit in such demand. This expectation, canvases that the federal character principle has assumed a legal backing. Just as the rotation of the Presidency is not captured in the constitution neither is the geo-political zoning arrangement. Still, the fact of the reality of the application of the zonal structure in our national equilibrium has assumed universal moral force that can no longer be ignored nor dispensed with. For such critical national office as the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria not to be rotated among the zones can only breed discontent and disharmony.
It can further be argued that zoning and rotation has acquired a moral force that its continued absence from our constitution is a major lacunae that must be addressed. Pending the ‘constitutionalisation’ of the above, I urge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make it a prerequisite for political parties to have explicit provisions on rotation of the Presidency in their constitutions before registration. The PDP was halfway to it by agreeing to a North-South rotation instead of a zone-to-zone rotation. Given the above, the following strategies are recommended:
– All Igbo sons and daughters in any political party should strive to ensure “rotation of Presidency” clause in their party constitutions.
– All Igbos in the National Assembly should seek collaboration with members from other zones to amend the Electoral Act to accommodate a provision that compels INEC to ensure rotation clause in political parties constitutions as a requirement for registration. 

IS PRESIDENT OF SOUTH EAST EXTRACTION AN ENTITLEMENT
I must make bold to say that it is not an entitlement. This is so because, even if it is zoned, it will still be subject to electioneering processes, as it is still the outcome of the process of election that will make one a President. The right to vote and whom to vote for is a free choice. Electioneering involves mobilisation for votes, campaigning for support and each candidate making an effort to gain the confidence of the electorates nationwide. It must be clear that zoning cannot take away the right of voters to vote freely for candidates of their choice. Accordingly, actualising the quest for a Nigerian President of the South-East extraction cannot be by agitation but by persuasion; not by coercion, but by coalition-building and cooperation; not by alienation, but by alliance. Therefore, I recommend that the various segments of the Igbos of the South-East geo-political zone; the professionals, politicians, activists, business class, youths, students, etc. should constructively and creatively engage their counterparts from other parts of the country. This engagement will engender confidence and create opportunity for making the necessary compromises to secure their support and votes.

IS PRESIDENT OF SOUTH EAST EXTRACTION A GIFT?
Let me again make bold to say that it can not be a gift. The concept of equal citizenship means that the nation, its resources and leadership belong to all Nigerians. The fair application of this equality of rights concept is what guarantees the cohesion of every society, particularly a multi-ethnic nation like Nigeria. The peace, prosperity and general progress of every country is dependent on how institutions are strengthened to ensure equality before the law. In recognition of the above, it is essential to note that no particular individual or group owns the leadership of the country and so nobody gives it. Many are of the view that power is not given but taken and the only way to win power in a democracy is by persuasion and through the ballot box. Accordingly, we note that in the exercise of the voters right of choice under the law, the voter is protected from coercion. And so, to persuade another to exercise his right in your favour, you must seek his cooperation and alliance.
I recommend that in our engagement with other zones and peoples, our tone must reflect negotiation, not antagonism. It must be one of friendship and not disdain or disrespect. It must show our willingness to enter into an enduring and lasting relationship for long term interest of all the parties.

CONCLUSION
I make bold to say that producing a President of Nigeria of South-East extraction demands a lot of work from every segment of the Igbo nation. I therefore use this platform to call on all and sundry to rise to the occasion. The task is achievable if approached collectively and adequately.   
Most importantly, to strengthen the capacity of the Igbos of the South-East geo-political zone to negotiate and ultimately win the Presidency, there is an urgent need for civic and voter education to increase voter turnout. The South-East is currently the zone with the least voter turnout, and this should change. Institutions like the World Igbo Summit should actively promote voter education and civic engagement. Moreso, every Igbo organization and association should arise and promote voter education and civic engagement. I call on each and everyone of us to stand to be counted.

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IGBO PRESIDENCY: NIGERIA WILL NOT PROGRESS UNTIL THE CIVIL WAR IS OVER.

By Comr Amos Kalu

AJM NEWS

The question of Nigeria President of Igbo extraction in 2023 has been christened ‘Igbo Presidency’ and it has taken the center stage of our national discourse, and rightly so at this critical time in the history of our nation.

Without mincing words or sounding apologetic with realities facing us, I will bold say Nigeria has retrogressed since 1960 after independence, rather than progressed and we have continued trying to sound politically correct by being economical with the truth of it when it comes to pointing out those errors that have held us down to state of stagnancy, disrepair and unprogressiveness. Yet I reckon that in all sincerity of purpose and for the love of the possibility of a future for Nigeria, this is not time to sound politically correct, this is time to end the Nigeria Civil War and move on or continue to pretend about it until it causes us the nation. The inevitability is presently before us in plain sight.

I have always argued that Nigeria is a nation that love “playing the Ostrich” with our realities, challenges and shortcomings when we should actually confront them, defeat them or fail while trying. No problem solves itself until a solution is proffered.

An Ostrich is a big bird that is very strong and so powerful that it can confront any danger or probably defeat it if it were to stand its ground. But when an Ostrich senses danger around it or is chased by any other animal, the first reaction to the danger is to escape because the bulky body and long legs can afford it the advantage of escaping the danger.

But when the Ostrich outruns its danger, it takes the advantage of space to dig a very big hole in the ground, put its head under the sand and cover the head up with sand, leaving the whole body outside totally exposed to whatever danger it must have escaped from. That way, Ostrich usually lose its life to attackers without putting up a fight that would’ve saved its life instead. This is how Nigeria has handled all her dangers till now that it have almost consumed her.

The Nigerian civil war of 1967 – 1970 has remained one of the worst challenges to the existence of Nigeria in many respect, as the war ended with a rhetoric of ‘No Victor, No Vanquished’, while the realities of victor and vanquished did place power firmly in the hands of the North who believes they deserve a lot of booty for a war well fought, thereby relegating the surposed vanquished South East to the reality of submission to the truth of 5%ters, hence the failure to reintegrate the East and move on. The Ostrich disposition made rubbish of the powerful RRR proposed by Yakubu Gowon after the war, the rest is now History.

The Ostrich attitude, systematically hid history from her people, shared power among the victors, created policies that only serve to milk the conquered South to Develop the North, yet we all pretend that all is well. It has festered, brewed bad blood, disunity and it gave birth to pockets of agitation that are gaining momentum even as the ‘stick and carrot approach’ has continued to fail, yet the Ostrich is still hiding its head under the sand from realities of her danger. “FOR HOW LONG?”

Possible Solution

In as much as the people from South East had over the years tried to play along with the guilt of a defeated people whom are constantly reminded that they almost ended Nigeria in their quest for freedom from politically motivated killings of her people, yet there’s limit to how long a man can endure, especially when the generation being punished are different from the generation that actually fought for their freedom, the result is what we witness today.

In retrospect, since the Southeastners have come out to say we are part of this project called Nigeria, we wish to Rehabilitate, Reconstruct, and Reintegrate (RRR), in the true sense of the word, then the North and the rest of Nigeria should see it as the first opportunity to truly end the war existing in the minds of the victors and exploit the opportunity to move Nigeria forward for the first time in her history as no nation progresses under the atmosphere of rencour, distrust, disunity and tribalism in a multicultural, multiethnic and diversity polity like Nigeria.

This is time to end the Civil War by producing Nigeria President of Igbo extraction as the only panacea to salvaging what is left of Nigeria because the North will be mistaken is they ever continue to lay claim to the ownership of Nigeria as the people that have conquered the rest who should always bow to their wills.

The Ostrich must brings its head out of the sand to face her danger or die in its self inflicted dangers.

Comr Amos Kalu is A Media Practitioner And Political Analyst, Writes From Abuja.

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THE INABILITY OF THE EASTERN GOVERNORS AND FG TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE CAUSED THE EMERGENCE OF EASTERN SECURITY NETWORK- DR. KALU

{…The Government Have Been Hunting Down And Incarcerating IPOB, While Pardoning Repentant BokoHaram Soldiers And Allowing Fulani Herdsmen To Carry Sophisticated Weapons~ Kalu}

Otu Obiahu, AJM NEWS

A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, and National Coordinator PDPCO, Southeast Director Reset Nigeria Group, Dr. Emeka Kalu has attributed the sudden emergence of regional security outfits, including the recently inaugurated Eastern Security Network by Nnamdi Kanu, to the inability of the governors and the federal government to protect the lives of their citizens.

Dr. Kalu noted that the political class of the South East have continued to sound politically correct not to offend the Northern region and didn’t want to form any security outfit, because some of them have placed their political interests over the protection of the lives of the people, which now led to the formation of Eastern Security Network.

His words: “Last week, precisely 12th of December, 2020, we were greeted with surprise (though not unexpected), of launching of a new security outfit called Eastern Security Network by the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. The display was a full military parade that got me thinking aloud, where are we heading to in Nigeria out of our own lackadaisical attitude towards every sensitive issues?

“The part that surprised me most was the staggering truth that this is a result of failed system under the auspices of APC and President Buhari who in their wisdom and inaction had put Nigeria to the option of self defense to keep existing when insecurity of lives and properties have become a certain culture, a norm.

“It brought us down to the reality that if the Eastern Governors had acted promptly to set up even a local vigilante to compliment our ever ready police, we wouldn’t have got to this pedestrian, the delinma of this oversight is that this IPOB outfit has been greeted with much accolade and acceptance that any attempt to quash it will be counter productive, that means we are all sitting on top of a ticking time bomb built by our own hands.

“This same cluelessness of the center dominated and controlled by the North in a bid to show strength above other regions as people in total control had equipped and empowered Hisbah Security and legalized it even when the same Government under the care of Northerners were against regional policing. A case of ‘different strokes for different folks’ while hunting down and incarcerating IPOB, pardoning repentant Bokoharam soldiers, they also unleashed the Fulani Herdsmen who brandish sophisticated weapons in a country where arm is not legalized. The said Herdsmen maim, kill, rape and attack people at will since 2015 without any condemnation from the Federal Government. They sack villages and move on as if nothing happened.

“Irked by this lopsided treatment of other citizens by the Northern folks, Yoruba people of the Western Region who feel threatened, birthed Amotekun, which has come to stay.

“The political class of the South East continued to sound politically correct not to offend the Northern region and didn’t act, yet within her ranks lived those who placed lives over political interests and today we have Eastern Security Network.

“That is not even the least of my concern at the time being. My trouble stem from the fact that while Nigeria is battling with Bokoharam in the North whom we are yet to know the source of their sophisticated weapons, the Bandits operating in the same North are not less armed.
Yesterday I watched a troubling video where Nigerians were asking questions “How were the ESN suddenly armed with AK47 within days of formation”, even as Amotekun, Hisbah, Niger Delta Avengers, etc are all armed?

“It will be foolhardy for the present government to believe that all these issues will just varnish without concrete solution. It will be even worse mistake for the North to think they can continue to hold unto power endlessly in the present condition of Nigeria without consequences. This is time for retrospection.

“I believe that the best thing the North can do at this material time is to yield to the call for dialogue and possible restructuring of the system where everyone’s interests can be protected in peaceful manner rather than endlessly living in a false unity that has only retrogressed us.

“The fact remains that Nigerians are not giving in their best to build her as a result of the sense of alienation prevalent in the polity where others believe the nation is for the North while the North believe it is their right to lead in perpetuity.

“The sanest approach now is for the North to rally support for Nigeria President of Igbo extraction come 2023. I am of strong believe that once this compromise is reached, it will give the Southerners a new sense of belonging that change is possible and this will give room for true dialogue, reconciliation and progress.

“I have not given up on hope that most of the daunting challenges being faced in Nigeria will naturally resolve itself when every entity works in favour of Nigeria with the commitment and believe that tribes exist for Nigeria and not the other way round”.

Chief Emeka Kalu, National Coordinator PDPCO, Southeast Director Reset Nigeria Group.

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