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2019: Buhari Can’t Woo Us with 2023 Ticket- Igbo Leaders
The candidature of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 presidential election with the expectation of an Igbo born president in 2023 is not enough sweetener to draw Igbo votes to the president, a cross-section of Igbo leaders has deposed.
In separate responses to Vanguard, the Igbo leaders affirmed that nothing short of the restructuring of the country to put the various geopolitical zones on equal footing would appease them. The leaders, including elements from the apex Igbo socio-cultural body, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, politics, and other Igbo-centred organisations dismissed suggestions that voting for President Buhari in 2019 would make the prospect of an executive president of Nigeria from the Southeast a realisable prospect.
One of President Buhari’s leading canvassers in the Southeast, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, director-general of the Voice of Nigeria, VON was, however, unwavering in his expectation that Buhari was the surest and safest channel to the realisaiton of a Nigerian president from the Southeast. Okechukwu further deposed that the Buhari administration had done enough to earn the confidence of the people of the region.
Among those who spoke on the issue were a former minister of health, Prof. ABC Nwosu, former president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, chairman of the Senate Southeast Caucus, Senator Enyinninya Abaribe, National Chairman, United Progressives Party, UPP Chief Chekwas Okorie, Secretary of the Eastern Consultative Assembly, ECA, Evangelist Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko, among others.
It will amount to slavery to extend APC rule – Prof. Nwosu
Ndi Igbo voting for APC in 2019 hoping to become president in 2023 will be making the biggest mistake of their lives. They will in effect be voting themselves into irrelevance and second-class citizenship in Nigeria. How can the APC where the leadership consisting of President Buhari, Vice President Osinbajo, the chairman of Party, Odigie-Oyegun and national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, midwife an Igbo presidency in 2023? How will that happen? It cannot happen.
As Chief MKO Abiola asked: How can you shave a man’s hair in his absence? The best option for Ndigbo is to look for an alternative where they are represented in the center of power in 2019. Ndi Igbo being represented at the centre as Vice Presidential candidate in 2019 will ensure that they are not dealt out in the backrooms where who shall become president and who becomes vice president are settled. If Ndi Igbo are in an alternative political party that absorbs a third force, this will put them at the centre where they will make sure that they are represented. They cannot afford to wait till 2027 and so, the northern presidential candidate in this alternative party shall serve out the remaining four years and no more.
All those advocating that Ndi Igbo should wait till 2027are enemies of Ndigbo and consequently, enemies of Nigeria because Ndigbo are nation builders. For emphasis, the Igbo ethnic group cannot endure beyond 2023. The restiveness in Igbo land and the neo-Biafra agitations are self-evident and only opportunistic ambitious presidential candidates will fail to see this restiveness. The tenure of the president that will emerge in 2019 must be for years only.
If Mandela with all his greatness did four years, the next President of Nigeria must do four years and give way in the interest of peace and political stability. This was what the north had expected of President Jonathan in 2015. The rest is history. Ndigbo must avoid like leprosy any presidential candidate whose body language indicates eight years especially those of them who have no views on restructuring which is the topmost Igbo agenda currently.
For the Igbo, restructuring is top of the agenda. The presidency is second. And good governance can only happen when there is peace and security. Restructuring brings about massive devolution of power and resources from the centre to the federating units and stops the massive roguery at the centre. The Igbo position is that there must be devolution and restructuring of Nigeria. Those benefiting from the present unfair structure are the ones resisting restructuring not realising that they are hurting themselves in the long run.
The summary is that if Ndigbo vote for APC in 2019, they will be voting themselves into slavery in Nigeria. So, the alternative should be for them to look for a platform that offers only a four-year waiting period, a platform where an Igbo man is at the centre, preferably as the running mate. That’s what the Igbo should be looking for. Ndigbo expect that any Nigerian whether from the north, south-west or South-South will show understanding that continuing to exclude a major group in Nigeria from the presidency is wrong and a recipe for political instability. (Vanguard)
Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has congratulated Christians in Nigeria on this year’s Easter celebration, and urged them to emulate the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.
The company, in a goodwill message to the Christian faithful in the country, lauded their perseverance through the Lenten period which preceded Easter. It enjoined them to always promote the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the virtues of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ.
“Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”, Globacom added.
The company enjoined all Nigerians to share in the lessons of promoting selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society. It also enjoined all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all.
Easter is celebrated yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The company assured its customers of seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.
The Guild of Private Broadcast Managers has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as it celebrates its 70th Anniversary.
In a congratulatory message signed by the Guild’s National President, Ambassador Patrick Uzoyi-Peters, JP MNGRM, the guild described the milestone as a testament to the NUJ’s unwavering commitment to upholding press freedom, journalistic integrity, and the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
“For seven decades, the NUJ has played a pivotal role in shaping the media landscape, advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists, and ensuring that the voice of the people remains strong and unyielding. Your resilience, professionalism, and dedication to ethical journalism have been instrumental in fostering transparency, accountability, and national development”.
Celebrating this historic achievement, the Guild’s President, Uzoyi-Peters recognized the sacrifices and contributions of journalists across the nation who work tirelessly to inform, educate, and empower society.
The Guild reiterated it commitment towards collaborating with the NUJ in promoting responsible journalism and strengthening the media industry for the greater good.
While wishing the NUJ continued success, growth, and greater impact in the years ahead, President Uzoyi-Peters prayed that the anniversary serve as a renewed call to uphold the principles of truth, fairness, and press freedom in our collective pursuit of a more informed and just society.
News
Family Marks one-year Memorial of Late APC Chieftain, Ojougboh with Charity Outreach
By Ikenna Oluka
The family of the late chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, led by his wife, Mrs. Bose Ojougboh, marked his one-year memorial anniversary with a series of charitable initiatives aimed at honoring his legacy of philanthropy and service to society.
The memorial activities included the donation of school books and bags to pupils of Erigbe Primary School, in Agbor within the Ika South Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta State, where Dr. Ojougboh had received his early education.
The outreach also included extension of financial assistance to patients at Central Hospital, Agbor, and the provision of toiletries, cash, and food items to children at the Salve Regina Children’s Home, Agbor.
The outreach was carried out under the ‘Dr. Cairo Ojougboh Foundation’, a family-led initiative established to immortalise him and continue his lifelong commitment to education, healthcare, and social welfare.
Speaking during the event which took place recently, Mrs. Ojougboh reaffirmed the family’s dedication to sustaining the ideals of the late APC chieftain, describing him as a man who strongly believed in education and giving back to society.
“We are here to celebrate the life of my husband, Late Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, who passed on a year ago. In his honour, we decided to give back to society. He was a man who valued education and was always willing to help others. It is only fitting that we continue his legacy through acts of generosity,” she stated.
Honouring his passion for education
The first visit was to Erigbe Primary School, where Dr. Ojougboh had received his early education. The Foundation distributed school bags, writing materials, and food packs to the pupils. The family encouraged the pupils to take their education seriously and strive to become responsible citizens.
Supporting patients at Central Hospital, Agbor
At Central Hospital, Agbor, Mrs. Ojougboh and her entourage moved through the medical wards, offering financial support to patients to assist with their treatment costs. The hospital staff and beneficiaries responded with prayers and words of gratitude for the kind gesture.
Reaching out to orphaned children
The outreach team also visited Salve Regina Children’s Home in Agbor where they donated cash, food items, and toiletries to the children.
The Matron of the home expressed her deep appreciation to the Ojougboh family, commending their commitment to sustaining the late politician’s legacy of compassion and social impact.
Dr. Cairo Ojougboh’s enduring legacy
Reflecting on her late husband’s contributions to society, Mrs. Ojougboh emphasised that his legacy of generosity and service to humanity would not be forgotten.
“Dr. Cairo was a selfless man who touched many lives. His contributions to the Nigerian political landscape, his mark in Agbor Kingdom, Delta State, and the country at large, will always be remembered. He may be gone, but his impact will continue to be felt for generations,” she said.
The Dr. Cairo Ojougboh Foundation has pledged to continue supporting education, healthcare, and social welfare initiatives in his memory, ensuring that his vision for a better society lives on.
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