Before you criticise this piece, please go back and read many of my predictions and advice to to Ndi Igbo before 2015 presidential election. From late 2013, I started pleading with Ndi Igbo to join and support the APC, even though PDP was the ruling party then. My advice fell on deaf ears. I was called names and severally abused by some of my brothers and sisters. Even some of those who came into APC yesterday and are now recognised as party bigwigs did not take people like us serious. Many thought I was not qualified to advice my people because I was not a money bad and was not holding a political office. They forgot that I am a political strategist and I am deeply knowledgeable about Nigerian politics, haven been part of Lagos grassroots politics.
By the time it was over in 2015, APC won and Ndi Igbo temporarily lost out. Thanks to God, President Buhari is developing south east INFRASTRUCTURES notwithstanding the number of votes he got from our zone. He has done for the south east in 3 years what PDP could not do in all of their 16 years in power.
I am here again to tell Ndi Igbo to go for APC in 2019. Forget all those letter writers and “Buhari don’t contest agitators”, there is no better candidate than Buhari for now. At least I have not seen any amongst those that have declared interest to be Nigeria’s President that can beat Buhari in 2019. I am not saying that Buhari is the best that Nigeria can offer. But I have not seen a better alternative yet.
As I told Ndi Igbo in November 2017, APC is the shortest route to igbo man becoming Nigeria’s President and a support for Buhari in 2019 will be the best bargain. Don’t believe those who tell you that there is nothing special about Igbo man becoming the President of Nigeria, they are agents of marginalization of Ndi Igbo. There is something special about my people; at least, it will give us a sense of belonging.
More over, if there is nothing in becoming the President of Nigeria, why did the Yoruba fight for it in 1999? Why did the North go for it after the Yoruba? Why did the South South fight to retain it in 2015? And why did the Fulanis fight to get it back in 2015? There is something in becoming the President of Nigeria. If nothing, there is the prestige that comes with it.
Those people advising and clamouring for another Fulani to have it in the place of Buhari are deceiving Ndi Igbo. Because once another Fulani takes it, he will have it for another 8 constitutional guaranteed years. After that the south south and the south West will make demands to have it because it would have been a long time since they had it. And when that time comes, the North will support either of the two because they are showing solidarity to one of their most loved sons; President Mohammadu Buhari. And mind you, democracy is a game of negotiation and it is a game of numbers; emotions will never carry the day, what you bargain is what you get.
Igbos across political platforms should ensure overwhelming victory for President Buhari in our zone come 2019. If per chance Igbos are not confident about my advice, let them approach Buhari face to face and make a deal with him. Ndi Igbo should tell Buhari that they will give him their vote in 2019, in return, he should commit to supporting Igbo man to become Nigeria’s President in 2023 after his 8 years in office. In addition to that, they should point him to critical infrastructural needs in the south east and ask him to get them done.
As the Secretary to the Federal Government said today in Owerr, ” 2019 will decide the future of Igbo”
“2019 will make or mar the aspiration of Igbo nation. I am calling on the Igbo to make a paradigm shift and think seriously of their position.
“The presidency of Nigeria is negotiable and can only be done on position of strength and the strength of the Igbo will be determined by 2019 support for Buhari.’’
“The choice is that of the Igbo nation. What happens in 2019 will determine the future of the region and you can bet on the support of Buhari.’’
Ndi Igbo please listen to my voice of reason.
*Written By Great Imo Jonathan
