Welcome to another edition of boiling point, where issues on national importance are discussed, towards finding a lasting solution to issues that border us as Nigerians, where the truth is only good enough.
In the last couple of weeks, I have watched with utter dismay, the happenings in Igbo land, which has made many ask questions, where Igbo’s are we headed to, considering the happenings in today’s Nigeria.
Rochas Okorocha, the executive governor of Imo state, and the lone voice with the ruling All Progressive Congress APC in the south east, has made statements, which to me does not represent the true position of Igbo’s in today’s Nigeria.
I, am dumb founded whenever I remember Gov Rochas Okorocha's speech at the Imo International conference center, in Owerri, as he endorsed President Muhamadu Buhari for a second term in office when the incumbent president has not declared interest, or intent to go for a second term.
In that stakeholders meeting of APC faithful, from the south east, Gov Rochas said “that Buhari will preside over the affairs of Nigeria for eight years and that Igbo's and south-east APC have endorsed it.
My question is this, in 2019, if President Buhari eventually seek for a rerun in office, would only APC faithful votes in the south east be enough to deliver him?
Did Rochas Okorocha, consult widely with Igbo’s and stakeholders in Igbo land before making such a statement, or is it one of his razmataz, which he is now known for?
Am not against Buhari going for second term, if Nigerians reelect him fine and good. However I, want state in clear terms that Igbo’s will for no reason, make the same mistake they made during Fmr President Goodluck Jonathan’ era.
It will be recalled that Igbo’s through Ohaneze Ndigbo, were the first to endorse Jonathan, without asking him, what we stand to gain from that political arrangement. Igbo’s endorsed him even before the Ijaw National Conference did. We endorsed him before the South South PDP did. All these endorsements where ill fated, because we as Igbo’s did not bring any strong demand on the table, neither did we evaluate his performance in his six years of governance in the country, and how Igbo’s benefitted from it.
As order regions where placing strong demands on the table we were busy with frivolities and personal aggrandizement, which brought us to the situation we are still in today.
Now, we are in a new dispensation, which Rochas Okorocha is one of the major actors in that direction, as his party, the APC is at the center. Igbo’s cannot afford to make the same mistake we made in the past by endorsing someone who has nothing to offer us.
I, had personally expected Governor Rochas Okorocha as the highest ranking governor of APC in the south east to ask questions before he goes on air to endorse President Buhari for another term in office, when his current term in office is barley 22 months old.
I, plead, that caution should be taken, so that Rochas Okorocha does not lead the Igbo’s astray as he did in the last election, by asking us to support Buhari, and now we are in a government that is nearing its titters of collapsing, God forbid, Nigeria’s enemies take advantage of us again.
I would had wanted Rochas Okorocha to tell the Igbo’s were we stand in the gap, and what we intend to get from this regime. We would want to know, what this present regime has done in Igboland to get our support for another 4 years in office, we would want to know the state of work at the second Niger bridge, we would want to know, how work has advanced in major roads in the south east, like Ihiala, Orlu, Umuahia road, Enugu- Onitsha express road, Enugu Portharcourt expressway, and many other road projects in the south east, that has been abandoned.
Igbo’s would also want to know, what Buhari intends to do for Ndigbo before 2019 to get our support for a second term in office. Igbo’s would want to know, plans by the APC government in giving Igbo’s a mini wharf at Onitsha and Aba dry port, which the past administration commissioned. Igbo’s would want to know through Rochas Okorocha, how our brothers and sisters have benefitted from the employment scheme of the federal government? What the APC government intends to do about the killings in Igbo land, occasioned by Herdsmen attack on innocent farmers. What the government is doing in stopping the military from killing Igbo’s during peaceful protest. I, can go on,
but, these are the major aspects, which Governor Rochas Okorocha should have done before asking "Ndigbo" to vote for Buhari in 2019. I maintain and I stand to be corrected, that Governor Rochas Okorocha does not have the locus standi for endorsing Buhari for second term when the governor's from north-west,Buhari's region, have not endorsed him.
Other regions should not be placing things on the table as a condition for endorsement while Governor Rochas Okorocha continues to play to the gallery by riding in his endorsement business. Let's get it right this time. Rochas Okorocha should be not allowed to lead Ndi- Igbo astray again. a word is enough for the wise.
In the last couple of weeks, I have watched with utter dismay, the happenings in Igbo land, which has made many ask questions, where Igbo’s are we headed to, considering the happenings in today’s Nigeria.
Rochas Okorocha, the executive governor of Imo state, and the lone voice with the ruling All Progressive Congress APC in the south east, has made statements, which to me does not represent the true position of Igbo’s in today’s Nigeria.
I, am dumb founded whenever I remember Gov Rochas Okorocha's speech at the Imo International conference center, in Owerri, as he endorsed President Muhamadu Buhari for a second term in office when the incumbent president has not declared interest, or intent to go for a second term.
In that stakeholders meeting of APC faithful, from the south east, Gov Rochas said “that Buhari will preside over the affairs of Nigeria for eight years and that Igbo's and south-east APC have endorsed it.
My question is this, in 2019, if President Buhari eventually seek for a rerun in office, would only APC faithful votes in the south east be enough to deliver him?
Did Rochas Okorocha, consult widely with Igbo’s and stakeholders in Igbo land before making such a statement, or is it one of his razmataz, which he is now known for?
Am not against Buhari going for second term, if Nigerians reelect him fine and good. However I, want state in clear terms that Igbo’s will for no reason, make the same mistake they made during Fmr President Goodluck Jonathan’ era.
It will be recalled that Igbo’s through Ohaneze Ndigbo, were the first to endorse Jonathan, without asking him, what we stand to gain from that political arrangement. Igbo’s endorsed him even before the Ijaw National Conference did. We endorsed him before the South South PDP did. All these endorsements where ill fated, because we as Igbo’s did not bring any strong demand on the table, neither did we evaluate his performance in his six years of governance in the country, and how Igbo’s benefitted from it.
As order regions where placing strong demands on the table we were busy with frivolities and personal aggrandizement, which brought us to the situation we are still in today.
Now, we are in a new dispensation, which Rochas Okorocha is one of the major actors in that direction, as his party, the APC is at the center. Igbo’s cannot afford to make the same mistake we made in the past by endorsing someone who has nothing to offer us.
I, had personally expected Governor Rochas Okorocha as the highest ranking governor of APC in the south east to ask questions before he goes on air to endorse President Buhari for another term in office, when his current term in office is barley 22 months old.
I, plead, that caution should be taken, so that Rochas Okorocha does not lead the Igbo’s astray as he did in the last election, by asking us to support Buhari, and now we are in a government that is nearing its titters of collapsing, God forbid, Nigeria’s enemies take advantage of us again.
I would had wanted Rochas Okorocha to tell the Igbo’s were we stand in the gap, and what we intend to get from this regime. We would want to know, what this present regime has done in Igboland to get our support for another 4 years in office, we would want to know the state of work at the second Niger bridge, we would want to know, how work has advanced in major roads in the south east, like Ihiala, Orlu, Umuahia road, Enugu- Onitsha express road, Enugu Portharcourt expressway, and many other road projects in the south east, that has been abandoned.
Igbo’s would also want to know, what Buhari intends to do for Ndigbo before 2019 to get our support for a second term in office. Igbo’s would want to know, plans by the APC government in giving Igbo’s a mini wharf at Onitsha and Aba dry port, which the past administration commissioned. Igbo’s would want to know through Rochas Okorocha, how our brothers and sisters have benefitted from the employment scheme of the federal government? What the APC government intends to do about the killings in Igbo land, occasioned by Herdsmen attack on innocent farmers. What the government is doing in stopping the military from killing Igbo’s during peaceful protest. I, can go on,
but, these are the major aspects, which Governor Rochas Okorocha should have done before asking "Ndigbo" to vote for Buhari in 2019. I maintain and I stand to be corrected, that Governor Rochas Okorocha does not have the locus standi for endorsing Buhari for second term when the governor's from north-west,Buhari's region, have not endorsed him.
Other regions should not be placing things on the table as a condition for endorsement while Governor Rochas Okorocha continues to play to the gallery by riding in his endorsement business. Let's get it right this time. Rochas Okorocha should be not allowed to lead Ndi- Igbo astray again. a word is enough for the wise.