GOAL OF OBASANJO IS TO AVOID STALEMATE

GOAL OF OBASANJO IS TO AVOID STALEMATE

Former Director General,

Centre for Democratic Studies (CDS) (Abuja) 1989-93

STALEMATE AS A GOAL IN APRIL ELECTION IS ANTI-DEMOCRATIC.

May I appeal to the "Stalematists" of various strands in the name of a coalition against Obasanjo that they are playing into the hands of the anti-democratic elements in Nigeria. I hope that the Nigerian political leaders in other parties who are genuine democrats such as Gani Fawehinmi, MD Yusuf, Balarabe Musa and General Ike Nwachukwu would appreciate that planning to coalesce is not only to take away votes from Obasanjo but it is meant to indirectly work for Buhari. If that is their objectives they should tell the voters who are being induced into voting for them on the erroneous belief that a government could come out of their joint effort. There is no way a joint effort by principled individuals with no experience in running a modern political organization could produce a President in 2003 or in 2007.

It is a common knowledge that the ANPP candidate, General Buhari held series of meetings with the candidates of the parties planning to coalesce and some PDP members disenchanted with President Obasanjo. Do these political actors know that they are playing into his hand?

For the interest of Nigerians, General Buhari is aiding the promotion of "Stalemate". Chief Gani Fawehinmi and his likes are beginning to see the danger in the plan to combine all and sundry parties on the anti-Obasanjo platform. Chief Fawehinmi, a fighter for the common man all his life would not want to be associated with the politics of negativism and obstruction implicit in the anti-Obasanjo pre-election coalition.

REPUTABLE LEADERS (SOUTHEAST AND NORTH) AGAINST STALEMATE

May I remind the Ndi Igbo voters whose support Dim Ojukwu is relying on for his campaign to deliver the Igbo votes to Buhari during the second ballot after the inconclusive first round of the mission of the Igbo leaders in Nigerian politics. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and Dr. MI Okpara, the two undisputed political leaders of repute would frown at Stalemate as the goal of Ndi Igbo in Nigerian politics.

General Buhari should also be reminded that Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto would frown at the shortsighted tactics of getting to power. Sir Ahmadu Bello would also frown at the use of religion as a means for mobilizing for votes among the people of the north.

NDI IGBO VOTE AS A BLOC WOULD AID NDI IGBO MARGINALIZATION

Nigerians should appreciate that political stalemate in 2003 is a recipe for political disaster in the 2003. Should the Ndi Igbo be used by a self-proclaimed Traditional Ruler and Father of the Igbo people to promote political disaster in Nigeria in 2003? What would Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe feel in his grave, if his primary group is used twice in Nigerian history as the object of political disaster in Nigeria?

It is unfortunate that the greatest exponent of the Stalemate Strategy is Dim Ojukwu, the Presidential candidate of the All-Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA). I cannot help but raise alarm with the call of Dim Ojukwu that "all Igbo throughout Nigeria and wherever they are should vote for him" on April 19, 2003. Dim Ojukwu calls himself the EzeIgbo meaning the King of Igbo. Why should a King of the Igbo be a candidate fighting for votes with other common people? Would the King in other parts of Nigeria be struggling for votes with common people?

I recall his campaign language as follows:

Having been conferred with the Eze Igbo title,

I have become the father of all"

Fine he went to commit the political crime when he said:

"I call on all of them (Igbo politicians) in other parties

to return to APGA.

He went on

I call on them my beloved children, to come into

the APGA family now. My vision in Aba road is to

recall them home and to say bye-bye to

those seeking reelection this year outside APGA platform".

(From Guardian of Mach 27, 2003)

When I read what Dim Ojukwu is preaching in the name of APGA in his capacity as the Eze Igbo is offensive against the Constitution and the Electoral Law. He is openly using tribal ism to mobilize for votes. INEC should revisit the qualification of Dim Ojukwu. Can a Traditional Ruler be a candidate for the Presidential election?

When I read his sermon of the need for "Stalemates", I recall the activities of the "Stalematists" of 1992/1993 and how they wanted to frustrate the democratic transition. They are here again under the guise of wanting to acquire the total ethnic support nation-wide. A total ethnic support for a candidate to the exclusion of other ethnic groups in Nigeria is an invitation to ethnic suicide.

FALLACY OF NDI IGBO VOTES FO DIM OJUKWU

Let me raise some questions about the plan.

What does Dim Ojukwu want to do with the Ndi Igbo votes once he put them in his pocket? Use the Ndi Igbo votes to enhance Buhariin the run-off election.

Does he know that the total votes of the Ndi Igbo assuming he is able to get all which is doubtful would not make him the President? Ojukwu knows.

Does he know the dispersal of the Ndi Igbo throughout the country? Ojukwu knows.

Does he know that the Ndi Igbo voters reflect the area where they find themselves? Ojukwu should have known.

Does he know that Ndi Igbo voters at home today are less than 2/3 of the total Ndi Igbo voters nation-wide. Ojukwu should consult the records of the past election.

Answers to the question are implicit in the fact that Ndi Igbo are all over the federation making their living as good citizens. They have always traditionally responded to their environmental stimuli. Dim Ojukwu should allow the Ndi Igbo to follow their Governors into a national party that supports a national platform. Unfortunately the Ohaneze is not helping matter with the way it declared political fatwa on the Igbo Governors for supporting Obasanjo and for not supporting an ethnic President.

May I sincerely advice fellow Nigerians from the southeast that "Stalemate" as a political agenda is not only anti-democratic but that it would further marginalize the Igbo in the post 2003 national politics. This is an invitation to ethnic suicide.

NWACHUKWU/NWOBODO, DISSOCIATE FROM MISSION FROM OJUKWU’S GOAL

May I also advise fellow Nigerians from the southeast that "Stalemate" is indirectly working for Buhari. Dim Ojukwu should be honest with the Ndi Igbo that he is soliciting for their votes so that he would in turn take them to General Buhari during the run off. Dim Ojukwu should be honest with the Ndi Igbo. He should tell them that he is working for General Buhari.

Does General Nwachukwu realize that he who had reason to fight against Dim Ojukwu in the decision that Ojukwu took in the past? He should tell the Igbo voters that to follow Ojukwu twice in a generation is an invitation to a collective suicide in the hands of one man.

I am appealing to Chief Jim Nwobodo that the decision he and some us took in the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) to fight against Dim Ojukwu in 1982 as soon as he returned from exile and joined the NPN and declared war against our leader, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Owelle of Onitsha was the correct one then. This is the reason why he should distant himself from him today.

The negative comments on my position by some Igbo commentators such as Chidi Peter Eze and Mazi O Ani would not stop me from calling the attention of Nigerians to the threat to democracy by the apostles of Stalemate. I wish these commentators would stop and reflect on the issues I raise and how if they are not attended to by the Igbo leaders in time could constitute a threat to the political status of the Ndi Igbo in the hands of Dim Ojukwu.

April 2003