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Emeka Nwajiuba Best for Presidency from Igbo Clan

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EMEKA ,NWAJIUBA,Minister of State for Education

 

 

 

 

By Alh. Usman Muhammad

 

 

I’m so inspired that the agitation for a Nigerian President of Igbo and South-East extraction is gaining momentum across regional, ethnic, religious and political divides. The show of good faith by prominent politicians, elder statesmen, and ordinary Nigerians rekindles the hope that a greater and more equitable Nigeria is feasible in the near future.

 

In January this year, elder statesman and political veteran, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai from Kano State, said: “Nigeria had three major blocks. Two of these three, namely, the North and the West have had the opportunity of producing the President.

APC Crisis: Sacked APC National Chairman wants to field Tinubu in 2023-Danbilki

Therefore, the Igbo have a good argument because out of the three siblings, two have already succeeded at producing the President, but the Igbo have not.”

 

While Pa Yakasai and several others have been quite mature and responsible in putting their concerns across, there are many, who are so illogical and insensitive in aggressively pushing the narrative that Igbo cannot be asking for the presidency.

 

Some even suggest that the Igbo presidency would lead to the breakup of Nigeria. This is as untrue as it is blackmailing.

 

I totally disagree with the notion that an Igbo man will be a stumbling block to our democracy when he becomes the president of our dear country Nigeria. The most important and peaceful solution would be to present a credible candidate who will be offered to Nigerians as a progressive agent. There are wide speculations that Hon. Emeka Nwajiuba, the current Minister of State Education can fit the job perfectly.

 

Hon. Nwajiuba who hails from Ehine Mbano Local Government, Imo State can best be described as one of the most reputable Igbo political class.

 

A man of high esteem and detribalized, he is very fit for Nigeria’s number one job. It will be recalled that Nwajiuba was the Governorship candidate of ANPP in the 2003 general election in Imo state, while President Muhammad Buhari was the presidential candidate of the same party.

 

Hon. Nwajiuba was also the governorship candidate of CPC in 2011 with President Buhari as a presidential candidate. Equally, Nwajiuba was a member of the three (3) men committee that saw to the coalition of CPC/ACN to form APC in 2014.

 

The above long cordial relationship between Hon. Nwajiuba and President Buhari made him the most trusted and ally of Mr President from Igbo extraction.

 

The advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999 profoundly evidenced these conventions with the then two leading contesting political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the All Peoples Party, APP/Alliance for Democracy, AD, alliance respectively presenting Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Olu Falae, both Yoruba from the South-West zone as the major candidates for that year’s presidential election, with their running mates, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi, coming from the North-East and North-West, respectively.

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These consensual decisions by the parties were informed by the fact that the regional North had had its fair share of the country’s presidential leadership, and it was proper for the office to go to the Yoruba South-West, considering the fact that a Yoruba had presumably won the election to that office six years before, precisely in 1993, but which was denied him by the then military establishment.

 

Eight years of Chief Obasanjo gave way to power returning to the regional North with the emergence of Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua, whose unfortunate passing before the end of his first term gave rise to the emergence of his deputy, Dr Goodluck Jonathan from the Ijaw minority group of the South-South as president. One term of Dr Jonathan witnessed power returning to the regional North, with President Buhari, from the North-West clinching the office, and being returned for a second term, to terminate in May 2023. This now leaves us with who should take over from the President in 2023.

 

Nigeria’s political history has witnessed regional North in total would have led Nigeria for 45 years and three Month by May 2023 while the Yoruba of the south-west has led the country for exactly 11 years and 11 months. But what about the Igbo? Just 6 months of Gen. Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi (January 15 – July 29, 1966).

 

It will amaze many readers to learn of my experience since this project began early last year. From my interactions with these youngsters, I have come away with the impression that a sense of belonging by them will subdue this agitation, and what sense of belonging can surpass the joy of an Igbo presidency? There are former Biafran agitators and other Igbo activists who have collapsed their various groups into this project, believing that it best represents Igbo interests. Every student of Nigeria’s political history recognises that this political agitation is the product of frustration with the Nigerian state for their perceived marginalisation which has culminated in the denial of Igbo a shot at the presidency.

 

Those of us who ought to know are aware of the thunderous agitation from the Yoruba South-West subsequent upon the denial of the presidency to late Chief MKO Abiola, winner of the controversial June 12, 1993, presidential election.

 

After Abiola’s death in detention, the Yoruba took their agitation for Yoruba presidency everywhere: to the streets, to the newsroom, to the international community, and to the heart of Nigeria’s power politics.

 

There were even calls from some Yoruba extremists that the denial of the Yoruba presidency could instigate the emergence of Oodua Republic, giving rise to the formation of Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC.

The message was loud and clear: Our son was elected president in a free and fair election, was denied his victory and subsequently died in detention; it was either a Yoruba presidency or the Oodua Republic.

 

The three leading political parties then presented Yoruba candidates in 1999. And Yoruba got it! Twelve years after Obasanjo’s two terms, with the South-West politically strengthened, especially with a Yoruba as the most influential power broker in Nigeria today, not a whisper has been heard ever since of Oodua Republic! That is the power of equity, fairness and justice, as well as a dogged determination to pursue it.

 

That is the power of the unwritten conventions that have become Nigeria’s source of strength. Eight years of Igbo presidency will douse and eliminate secession agitation and Igbo feelings of marginalization, and guarantee a feeling of fairness, equity, justice, oneness and togetherness – a united Nigeria.

 

Every well-meaning Nigerian should key into this project and ensure the emergence of an Igbo president. And the three years long journey begins now. The Igbo political class has a major role to play too, by forging a united front and standing by this position. They should put behind them their political differences for a united goal and unanimously present Hon. Emeka Nwajiuba as their presidential candidate if they really mean business.

 

An Igbo presidency in 2023 is a project that has come to form the foundation for the end of the feeling of marginalization by one of the three major ethnic groups in Nigeria; the success of which will bring an end to one of the major drawbacks of our development, and create a conducive atmosphere for enhanced national development.

 

 

Alh. Usman Muhammad Wrote From Kano, Nigeria

Politics

200,000 APC Members in Kano Dismiss Allegations Against Ministerial Nominee Yusuf Abdullah Atta as Baseless

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Over 200,000 members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State have dismissed allegations of incompetence against the ministerial nominee, retired Hon. Yusuf Abdullah Atta, as baseless. Some APC members in Kano believe the allegations stem from personal grudges held by a few individuals who are not legitimate members of the party.

In a statement, Mustapha Gidan Magani, the secretary of APC Kwaciri Ward, on behalf of the entire executive committee of APC Fagge Local Government Area, rejected the allegations of anti-party activities during the 2023 general election. The executives argued that those intending to submit a petition to the Senate, claiming to represent 50,000 APC members, have no legal standing to make such claims.

The APC executives from Fagge Local Government Area are prepared to counter the petition, asserting that it will have little impact on the confirmation of Atta as Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development. They expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for nominating Atta, highlighting his administrative skills and dedication to serving humanity.

 

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PDP Youth Activist Calls for Suspension of Shekarau, Bello Hayatu from the party

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Salisu Usman Karaskabuli, a youth activist of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano, has called for the immediate suspension of several high-ranking party members, including former governor Ibrahim Shekarau, Bello Hayatu Gwarzo, and Yahaya Bagobiri.

He accused them of sabotaging the party’s efforts in the state and hindering PDP’s progress in the region.

Addressing journalists in Kano, Salisu Karaskabuli alleged that Shekarau has engaged in anti-party activities during the 2023 governorship election.
“Despite being a PDP leader, the majority of his supporters backed the APC candidate,” Salisu Karaskabuli said.
He further claimed that Shekarau is already mobilizing his supporters to work for Senator Barau’s governorship ambitions in 2027, signaling ongoing disloyalty.

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Salisu Karaskabuli also blamed the PDP National Vice Chairman for the Northwest Bello Hayatu Gwarzo for failing to unite the party across the region.
He noted that prominent PDP members, such as former governors Ibrahim Shema of Katsina and Ramalan Yero of Kaduna, had defected to other parties due to Gwarzo’s ineffective leadership.
Concerning the recent PDP congress in Kano, Usman expressed frustration, rejecting the outcomes of the ward, local government, and state congresses.
He accused the leadership of the party for partisan zoning and disqualifying candidates without valid reasons.

Further accusations were leveled at Yahaya Bagobiri, the chairman of PDP elders in Kano.
Salisu Usman claimed that Bagobiri had leaked sensitive party information to the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) leader Rabiu Kwankwaso.

Usman Karaskabuli called on the national leadership of the PDP to investigate the accused members and, if found guilty, take appropriate disciplinary action.

The accusations come at a time when the PDP in Kano and the wider Northwest is grappling with internal divisions, which some fear could weaken the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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APC Youth Activist Urges President Tinubu to Appoint Murtala Sule Garo as Minister

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Sadiq Ali Sango

 

Sadiq Ali Sango, a prominent youth activist of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider appointing Murtala Sule Garo as a minister in the forthcoming cabinet reshuffle.
Sango made this known in a statement released to journalists in Kano.

The Federal Government recently announced that President Tinubu would soon reshuffle his cabinet, sparking widespread speculation over potential new appointees.
Sango expressed optimism that Garo, a grassroots politician with a proven track record, would be a fitting choice for a ministerial position.

“Murtala Sule Garo is not only a politician but a true son of the soil, with immense contributions to the APC in Kano,” Sango stated.
“His service as the APC’s deputy gubernatorial candidate in the 2023 election and his unwavering commitment to the party despite not having the reins of government in Kano makes him the ideal candidate for Tinubu’s cabinet.”

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Sango further highlighted Garo’s role in holding the party together during difficult times, describing him as the “supporting pillar” of the APC in Kano.
“He has carried the party on his shoulders, providing support to party leaders and members alike,” he added.

With the APC no longer in control of Kano State’s government, Garo’s influence at the grassroots level has been pivotal for the party’s continued strength in the region.
According to Sango, Garo’s appointment would reinforce the party’s position in Kano and contribute to the success of President Tinubu’s administration.

The call for Murtala Sule Garo’s inclusion in the Federal Executive Council comes amid growing anticipation regarding the composition of the new cabinet and the need for strong political figures to represent Kano at the national level.

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