How Igbos can actualise 2023 presidency- Sen Pius Anyim

By Nneka Nwogwugwu, Abuja

The Former Senate President and Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim has revealed some strategies the Igbos can adopt to actualize 2023 presidency.

Anyim revealed this while giving a lecture on the topic “Identifying the Political Interest of the Igbos of the South-East Geo-Political Zone in Nigeria and Strategies for its actualisation’’ at Gregory University, Uturu, Abia State.

He said that presently, the political interest of the Igbos of the South-East geo-political zone is to attain the Presidency of Nigeria in 2023.

Speaking at the summit organized by the World Igbo Summit Group and the GUU Igbo Renaissance Centre of the University from 18th – 19^th December, 2020, Anyim said that the Igbos of the South-East geo-political zone is in continuous search of a system, a polity that guarantees and secures social, political and economic interest based on equality of citizenship, equity and justice.

 He said, ‘’I have heard many ask, “What is the interest of the Igbos of the South-East geo-political zone?’’

‘’Some others will rhetorically ask, “Is it secession or the Presidency?” more recently, restructuring has featured most prominently in the basket.

‘’Given the intellectual endowment and versatility of the average Igbo man; his interests are diverse per time. Some have even posited that the Igbos should limit their interest to commercial and entrepreneurial concern (areas of famed comparative advantage).

‘’I make bold to say that no matter the natural endowment of the Igbo man, it does not remove from the fact that man is a political animal.

‘’It is also important to note that the concept of nationality and citizenship has elevated the desire of any man to belong to a national entity where he enjoys full rights of citizenship. It is essential to understand that the implication of citizenship to any man is the benefits that flow from it, i.e. right to vote and to be voted for, equality before the law, protection of fundamental rights etc. These rights can be summarised as social, political and economic rights.

‘’The benefits of these rights to the citizens are the central pillars underpinning modern society and democracy. The denial of these rights or lack of protection when demanded is the bane of every political agitations which may find expression through various responses and approaches.

‘’It is my opinion I make bold to say that the Igbos of the South-East geo-political zone can find this in Nigeria. The journey to building an equitable society is usually challenging and rough, but many nations have arrived safely from this journey. It is, therefore, my position that those who posit restructuring have a point but should work harder to secure national consensus to make it possible. Also those who advocate for President of Nigeria of South-East extraction should diligently and boldly pursue it for the time has come, and the time is now. ‘’

The former senator described Igbos as one of the largest ethnic groups in Africa and comprised of about thirty-two million people, i.e. about 18% of the Nigerian population, located in Southeastern Nigeria with a total land area of about 41,000 km².

According to him, ‘’Their land mass stretches from the low-lying riverbank of the Niger river comprising of the Aniomas of Delta State through to the Ikweres of River State, cutting the fringes of Cross River and Akwa-Ibom States to the Igbo heartland of Anambra, Imo, Enugu, Abia and my own very Ebonyi State.

‘’On the Northern flank, the Igbo nation, shares affinity with a number of other communities e.g. Umezekaoha of Benue State and Eke Avurugo community in Kogi State. ‘’

He noted that the ethnic demography is not the same as political geographic boundaries, and what belongs to the South-East geo-political zone cannot be claimed by any Igbo man outside the South-East geo-political zone.

He explained that the strategies for Igbo presidency actualization should be considered under three critical questions:

-Is President of South-East extraction a right?

-Is President of South-East extraction an entitlement?

- Should President of Nigeria of South-East extraction be a gift?

He said, ‘’Under the Constitution of Nigeria, every adult of 40 years of age is qualified to be elected to the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

‘’Accordingly, there is nothing under the law that disqualifies any Igbo man from aspiring to be President; the challenge is capacity to meet the mandatory requirement of the highest number of votes and spread.

The other angle to this perspective is whether zoning the Presidency to the South-East geo-political zone is a right? Legally, the answer is no, but morally there is a merit in such demand.

‘’This expectation, canvases that the federal character principle has assumed a legal backing. Just as the rotation of the Presidency is not captured in the constitution neither is the geo-political zoning arrangement.

Still, the fact of the reality of the application of the zonal structure in our national equilibrium has assumed universal moral force that can no longer be ignored nor dispensed with. For such critical national office as the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria not to be rotated among the zones can only breed discontent and disharmony.’’

Anyim further urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make it a prerequisite for political parties to have explicit provisions on rotation of the Presidency in their constitutions before registration.

He also noted that the producing a president from the Southeast extraction is not an entitlement neither is it a gift handed to the Igbos.

‘’ I must make bold to say that it is not an entitlement. This is so because, even if it is zoned, it will still be subject to electioneering processes, as it is still the outcome of the process of election that will make one a President.

‘’The right to vote and whom to vote for is a free choice. Electioneering involves mobilisation for votes, campaigning for support and each candidate making an effort to gain the confidence of the electorates nationwide. It must be clear that zoning cannot take away the right of voters to vote freely for candidates of their choice.

‘’Accordingly, actualising the quest for a Nigerian President of the South-East extraction cannot be by agitation but by persuasion; not by coercion, but by coalition-building and cooperation; not by alienation, but by alliance.

‘’Therefore, I recommend that the various segments of the Igbos of the South-East geo-political zone; the professionals, politicians, activists, business class, youths, students, etc. should constructively and creatively engage their counterparts from other parts of the country. This engagement will engender confidence and create opportunity for making the necessary compromises to secure their support and votes.

 ‘’Let me again make bold to say that it cannot be a gift. The concept of equal citizenship means that the nation, its resources and leadership belong to all Nigerians.

‘’I recommend that in our engagement with other zones and peoples, our tone must reflect negotiation, not antagonism. It must be one of friendship and not disdain or disrespect. It must show our willingness to enter into an enduring and lasting relationship for long term interest of all the parties.’’