Dr. Chuba Okadigbo’s Political Arithmetic and how he died Trying To Actualize President Buhari’s Ambition

From Our Political Desk

Dr. Wilberfotce William Chuba Okadigbo was Nigeria’s Senate President at the beginning of the fourth republic after the impeachment of Chief Evans Enwerem by the national assembly.

Dr. Chuba Okadigbo was one of the most celebrated Nigerian political scientists who authored many books and taught in American Universities.

The Late Chuba Okadigbo is well versatile in the field of politics practically and theoretically.

While his Igbo Kinsmen are always aligning themselves with topmost Igbo political leaders, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo was a respecter of the Northern region and its people.

In the second republic, the late political sage was with the National Party Of Nigeria, NPN, an offshoot of the Northern Peoples Congress, The NPC.

When Late President Shehu Shagari formed the government in 1979, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo was the President’s Political Adviser.

His Struggle to Ensure President Buhari Was Elected President and How He died.

In the runoff to the 2003 general elections, Dr. Wilberforce William Chuba OKadigbo decamped from the ruling People s Democratic Party to the Defunct All Nigeria People’s Party, The ANPP, but that was after he resigned from his position as number three in Nigeria’s political hierarchy, that was the senate, President.

By the time he decamps to the ANPP, all was set for the conduct of the 2003 general elections, the first Civilian to Civilian Transition in 20 years since the overthrow of late President Shehu Shagari three months after the beginning of his second tenure in office.

When late Chuba Okadigbo, was received in the ANPP, news then made round that the late Political Sage will run a presidential ticket with Nigeria’s former Head Of State, General Muhammadu Buhari.

On the Eve of the ANPP convention many withdrew from the race particularly candidates from the Northern region, they were Late Marafan Sokoto Alhaji Umaru Shinkafi, Alhaji Dauda Birma, which was done to ensure President Buhari clinches the party’s ticket easily.

NDA-ISAIAH Was A Friend And Ally- President Buhari

But a serious drama ensued when the Chairman of the ANPP convention planning committee Senator Umar Kumo was calling on the contestants to come to the podium to tell the delegates their manifestoes one by one.

Those that refused to withdraw from the race gathered and chunked themselves on the Podium, they were late Edwin Ume Ezeoke, Pere Ajunwa, Harry Akande, Rochas Okorocha and John Nwodo Junior, now President Ohanaze Ndigbo, announcing their withdrawal from the primaries and finally staged a walkout, that almost ruptured the show but with the intervention of well-matured politicians like the Late Chuba Okadigbo, the tension at the eagle square died down.

President Buhari and Late Chuba Okadigbo

One of those whose remarks generate serious attention was the late Chuba Okadigbo, by the time he rose on the podium to Counter Perre Ajunwa’s, Harry Akande’s, Rocha’s Okorocha’s, Edwin Ume Ezeoke’s, the attention of the delegates was tilted towards late Chuba Okadigbo.

“it’s the sign of Political Sagacity to understand the Political Arithmetic, my mentor Zik of Africa worked with the NPC and formed a Government with Tafawa Balewa as the Prime Minister,” Said Dr. Chuba Okadigbo

The audience was not surprised as it’s a political scientist and a theoretician talking and doing away with the public relations gaffes perpetrated by the likes of Ajunwa, Okoroha, Edwin Ume Ezeoke even though they exercised their rights to freedom of association and to hold a political opinion.

The Alleged Gassing Of Okadigbo to death on the fateful September 23, 2003.

After the Abel Goubadia led Independent National Electoral Commission declared President Olusegun Obasanjo as the duly elected President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Obasanjo’s main challenger in the race General Muhammadu Buhari and the ANPP organized a rally in Kano which was the only state wrested from PDP in the 2003 General election in preparation to institute a court case against the PDP at the Presidential Election Tribunal in Abuja, the rally was staged at the famous Kano Pillars Stadium on Wednesday, September 23, 2003, in Kano.

General Muhammad Buhari as he was called then was accompanied from Kano /Kaduna Border by the former Governor of Kano State Malam Ibrahim Shekarau to Kano Pillars Stadium, then Federal Government under the PDP locked the stadium but on the instruction of Governor Malam Ibrahim Shekaru the Youth stormed and open the gate of the stadium.

After entry, Late Dr. chuba Okadigbo also addressed the gathering, it was alleged then knowing fully well his asthmatic condition something was sprayed, immediately after the rally when OKadigbo and Buhari went back to Abuja on September 25, 2003, Late Chuba Okadigbo passed away.

General Buhari’s Supporters mourned the late Okadigbo and several Nigerian dailies took him as their cover story extolling his Virtues.

Now Buhari is the President, What has he done for Okadigbo’s Family

Hardly one divorced Nigerian politics from a family affair issue, political connection or fraternity, President Buhari in his journey to becoming President of Nigeria since the year 2003, he has lost rare political gems Including Dr, Chuba Okadigbo, Chief Marshal Harry, Dr Ibrahim Tahir, Taliban Bauchi, Barrister Mike Ahamba and a number of them, the President is known as maintaining ties with childhood friends and political allies, but Okadigbo’s and others whose family members are still alive, have they benefited from the labour of their fathers and family relationships in their effort to consolidate Buhari’s political ambition? It yes or No

If their families are not included in Government or did not benefit from anything even intruders who have never laboured anything in Buhari’s political reckoning are those enjoying in the corridor’s of power, has the President forget Okadigbo’s, Tahir’s, Harry Marshalls and the rest?