The President General of Ohaneze, Dr John Nwodo, Wednesday, disagreed with Rotimi Amaechi on how to produce Igbo President, arguing that Nigeria is not operating a true federation as pockets of marginalization still abound against the Igbo.
Amaechi, who is Minister of Transportation and also a lecturer for the 12th Convocation ceremony of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, had called on the Igbo to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 to serve his second term to pave the way for the Igbo to produce the President after his tenure.
Nwodo, who was a guest at the lecture, disagreed on the quickest way for the Igbo to produce President of Nigeria, stating that such argument should not have a place in a true democratic system.
He reasoned “I am yet to see a federation in which the security apparatus is domiciled in one section of the country. Doing so has not also solved the security problems of the country.
“Our country is in a state of war, with no one declaring it. I refuse to agree with you that people should join a federal movement as you said before they get what is due to them. If our constitution is not revisited for people to live and feel safe, then we are wasting our time.
“Honourable minister, I urge you to fight for us. We are the true Nigerians. Whether we voted left or right, our behavioral pattern has shown confidence in Nigeria.
“Help us talk to your people and make them understand that whatever views they held during the war, tell them that the war is over.”
Speaking on the topic, ‘The Igbo in the politics s of Nigeria’, Amechi said Igbo had not benefited much by voting for minority parties.
He said: “We are not here for campaign; we are here for an academic exercise. If we are here for campaign, I would not be putting on academic gown, but we must tell ourselves the truth about what Buhari has done.
“Since 1999, the Igbo people have always voted for the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP]. There is nothing wrong with that, but the question must be asked; has the PDP justified that support or reciprocated it in any manner?
“Is that support really earned? The complaint now is that the All Progressive Congress [APC] government of President Muhammadu Buhari abandoned the South East and is marginalizing them.”
“Let me just say that the Igbo nation should focus or solutions not recriminations. In what political direction should the Igbo go? Let the quarrel with the north real or imagined stop.
“Let the recriminations stop and let us join hands as one people to chart the way forward for a brighter future for Nigeria. We need to examine very carefully the Igbo political trajectory and learn crucial lessons of history.
“How did Jaja an Igbo slave found a multi-ethnic state in Opobo and become the King with the consent of the people? How did Zik achieve national prominence and stature? We have an incredibly proud past, a rich political heritage forged in the most difficult circumstances. We must therefore focus on constructing the path to a proud future.
“The Igbo nation should engage with others and immerse itself fully in national politics just like Jaja and Zik did. The handshake across the Niger celebrated recently in Enugu by Ohaneze Ndigbo and Nzuko Umunna is welcome, but a handshake across the Benue is most desirable now,” the minister stated.
