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The Ibo candidate option By
The presidential elections of April 19th have one known fact which is President Obasanjo did not get the required 2/3rd to be voted in as president of Nigeria, neither did any party, thus the electoral fraud. A national law has thus been contravened and in so doing, the Obasanjo administration has proven it is above the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The ruling inner caucus has done an injustice to themselves and their children for no matter what happens in the months and years to come, the present ruling class would be held responsible. The present ruling class could have resigned en-mass from the Obasanjo administration to prove that no such massive fraud would be allowed, instead they chose to sit tight and allow others to fight for real democracy hoping to have their present public positions and still be relevant in the next elections. Nigerians should not forget if they had not resisted the government of the day on the June 12 elections, Nigeria would still be in the hands of the military. It is obvious that no matter what happens; all Nigerians most resist these fraudulent elections. The so called international support the Obasanjo administration has now is due to the concessions the Obasanjo administration has given to foreign interests.
The good thing about using concessions to obtain foreign support like the Obasanjo Administration has done is that it can always be done by a different government. Thus a new government can give the same concessions to the same foreign powers and in the process earn their support. The Obasanjo administration is becoming an excess baggage to its foreign supporters and thus the supporters seem to be waiting for the opportunity to jump ship. An interim government would provide such an opportunity for the foreign supporters to drop the support of President Obasanjo’s government. It is obvious that the Obasanjo administration has lost all grassroots support and the general feeling is very few people outside the ruling class want the Obasanjo administration to continue in office. The concern however seems to be Islamic fundamentalism.
Would a Buhari led Government resort to Islamic fundamentalism? How can General Buhari prove Nigeria would not revert to a theocracy? The solution seems to lie in new elections whereby an Ibo candidate emerges as the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. An interim government run preferably by a recognized Easterner should run the country from June 1st till October 1st, 2003 when a democratically elected government should be enthroned.
The Ibo have been very patient with the affairs of government in Nigeria. This patience and understanding should not be taken as weakness. It is time the North as well as the West realizes Nigeria now needs an Ibo president. Thus the entire Northern Nigeria should all support an Ibo candidate for president. Also this provides an opportunity for General Buhari to fight for the enthronement of democracy and to hand over to an Ibo president.
The Yoruba have already shown Nigeria what they can do; the northerners have shown Nigeria what they can do and now it is time for an Ibo president. Since President Obasanjo refuses to do what is right, Nigerians should help decide the future for the next generation so they do not end up being a wasted generation like the present generation.
May 2003
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