Opinion
2023 Beckons: Will Igbo Play The Real Politics This Time?
By Joe Igbokwe
As we gradually move towards 2019 and 2023, I am beginning to get worried whether Igbo is putting their acts together to take a shot at the Presidency in 2023 when the North would have completed their 8 years? I am worried because I do not know whether we understand the dynamics of the politics we must play to position an Igbo for the exalted office in the land. Are we thinking or considering the political party that will bring us close to the Presidency in 2023? Is it PDP, APGA or APC? If it is PDP are we playing the real politics? If it is APGA what are we doing to take APGA across to those who will vote for our candidate? If it is APC what are the plans to key into the ruling Party? Of all these three Parties mentioned above which one presents the shortest distance to the Presidency in 2023?
Now let me analyze these three Parties, their stand, capacity, spread and leadership.
APGA rules only one State out of 36 States in Nigeria. It is only domiciled in Anambra State and has not moved beyond Anambra State to reach out to other Nigerians. For an Igbo to be elected to the exalted office other Nigerians especially Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba and others must vote for him. Without sounding immodest Anambra State occupies a unique position in Igbo land. Anambra is the engine room of Igboland politics and they lead the way. Now if the State that will lead others to the main stream is saddled with APGA, where is the plan to work with others? If you ask me I will suggest that we do the needful by joining other Nigerians to play the real politics. APGA cannot lead Igbo anywhere in the politics of Nigeria. If Yoruba can sacrifice ACN to form an alliance with other Nigerians to give birth to APC, Igbo needs to think again.
What of PDP? Now, this Party is still being pulled down by internal contradictions, credibility crisis and hangover of 16 years of massive looting of Nigeria. PDP may not be the option for Igbo because for 16 years the party was in power, the South East was officially and systematically neglected. Besides PDP just zoned the presidency to the North and assuming their candidate wins in 2019 what is the guarantee that the winner will not seek a second term in 2023? Therefore, I do not think PDP is the shortest distance for Igbo Presidency or the way to go.
Now what of APC? To all intents and purposes I think APC provides the best platform and the shortest distance for Igbo presidency in 2023, and Igbo must take this very seriously. To do this, Igbo must look at this big picture. Igbo must consider everything. Igbo must sacrifice APGA for the big business in 2023. Igbo must swallow this bitter pill in order to be politically relevant in Nigeria again. Pride, arrogance, political stupidity, bloated self-worth, persecution complex, selfish sense of superiority, leadership complex etc must be jettisoned for other Nigerians to trust us. We must also prove to other Nigerians that we love them and Nigeria. Trust is the key factor. Let us stop the hate speech and ethnic bigotry and work for a new Nigeria of our dream. Igbo must stop the Biafra project because a lot is at stake. It is counterproductive and provocative. If we are sensible and I think we are, we should be faced with the choice of the best option for Igbo in Nigeria. The best option is that Nigeria offers the biggest market for Igbo in Nigeria. We must rise now to remove the huddles and take the hard decisions. We must not give those who make us to look little the oxygen we breathe. Let them suffocate for us to make progress. It always seems impossible until the deed is done. Let us selectively and productively deploy committed men and women in Igboland to work with other Nigerians to create a new Nigeria. We need war of sense now and not war of words and bullets.
Someone once told me that if a man stands in a place for so long without making a move, lizard will climb him thinking it is a tree. We have made political mistakes for a longtime and mistakes are allowed. After all he who makes no mistakes makes no progress. This is the time for Igbo to move on in Nigeria.
Op–ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Oriental Times
Prince Gaiser Osagie - Erese
October 11, 2017 at 7:16 am
It’s too early to say. 2023 is a long short. Igboman is more interested in making quick money by all means than playing “real politics”.
Paul Nwoba Anyigor
October 11, 2017 at 5:33 am
Obia Edwin Ogbonna
October 11, 2017 at 1:41 am
Useless igbokwe who can’t read the handwriting on the wall.
Iyke Hillz
October 10, 2017 at 11:24 pm
ONLY THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW THE HISTORY OF NIGERIA LOVE NIGERIA:
I get amused at us when we insist we fight corruption. For goodness sake, our very existence as a country is being sustained by the Ethnicity of Corruption! How on earth do we fight ourselves?
Some criminals planned coups against the country. What did we do? We eulogized and made them “heroes”! Muritala Mohammed committed genocide and we placed him on our Naira notes and named an international airport after him. Sani Abacha ruined us but we named a stadium and numerous streets after him. The one from Daura committed a crime against the state, we rewarded him with Elder statemanship and made him president once more. Babangida committed a crime against the state and not only did we name national monuments after him, we go to him for advise on how to run a country! A criminal like Gowon wasted our time for 9yrs and now, he’s a revered elder stateman who “prays” for the country after supervising the unnecessary death of millions. They stole our people constitution and presented us with a fraud and we sing “Hosanna” like some zombies!
Our well-known criminals have been greatly rewarded. The proceeds of corruption have been mind-blowing! We have been programmed to understand that crime pays, and pays far better than MMM. Corruption has been encoded in our DNA. We eulogize the corrupt on a daily basis. To now turn around and mouth empty words of fighting corruption, is so ridiculous that it makes me laugh and weep in tandem.
We may keep deceiving ourselves though, but we ain’t fighting nada! To fight corruption, we must dismantle the corrupt structures and punish those that entrenched it. Those who have profited handsomely from corruption cannot tell us about corruption! They should shove that nonsense up a place where the sun doesn’t shine and stop making noise already!
©®Baron Roy
Osita Ayigbo
October 10, 2017 at 10:14 pm
Fool
Francis Eze
October 10, 2017 at 9:59 pm
Slavery is a bad thing
Julie Ogbu Ebuenyi
October 10, 2017 at 9:53 pm
Prodigal son. Tout you are not relevant
Spersadex Uwa
October 10, 2017 at 9:25 pm
Mumu
Ogbonna Okechukwu
October 10, 2017 at 8:56 pm
God will blind you before 2023
Christopher Ochini
October 10, 2017 at 8:45 pm
O.k.
Uzor L. Samuel
October 10, 2017 at 8:43 pm
we no the voice of slave
Daniel Nlemchi Igwe
October 10, 2017 at 8:41 pm
we are going to play the politics on you head watch out for it
Nnamdi Okoye
October 10, 2017 at 8:35 pm
Born troway
Ndubuisi Nwamuzie
October 10, 2017 at 8:34 pm
slave
Joebig Joe
October 10, 2017 at 8:22 pm
Look at this Yorubas servant
Nwabueze Biafra
October 10, 2017 at 8:22 pm
Joe Igbokwe will you be alive till 2023?
Eva Best
October 10, 2017 at 8:20 pm
See this goat again, u re playing ur own in lagos
Cascas Okoro
October 10, 2017 at 8:08 pm
Prodigal son of Igbo Land …..”onye ulo Nna ya na agba oku ..O na achu oke”
Damian Chijioke
October 10, 2017 at 8:03 pm
Foolish man you shall remained in exile, when foul gas the air the earth chases it on the run.
Chidex Hillson
October 10, 2017 at 8:00 pm
This idiot Joe igbokwe will be buried in Lagos when he dies
Victor Nwosu
October 10, 2017 at 7:37 pm
Freedom is all we want & freedom we shall get
Tony Brown
October 10, 2017 at 7:36 pm
YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A MORON AND POLITICAL TOUT.
YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOUR SELF, YOU BASTARD joe igbokwe.
Udeinya Sunday Ikechukwu
October 10, 2017 at 7:34 pm
Foolish Awusakwe.
Ik Brown Brown
October 10, 2017 at 7:31 pm
osu outcast u
Charles Onukwue
October 10, 2017 at 7:24 pm
Oriental times please stop posting this devil’s write up. Biko
Ekezie Okechukwu Jerome
October 10, 2017 at 7:23 pm
If u so care about Ndigbo try n contest na . traitor .
Ebei Ibi
October 10, 2017 at 7:18 pm
Animal. You will vote yourself on that your dream.
Ifeanyichukwu Madunagu Frank
October 10, 2017 at 7:18 pm
Don’t mind this gangster lagosian who think he represent igbo opinion we don’t need Nigeria president all we want is biafra nation nothing more and no body can stop it
Ike Chukwuma
October 10, 2017 at 7:17 pm
Ekwnsu odokpe
Odinaka Udeh
October 10, 2017 at 7:17 pm
Mumu
Samson Kanayo
October 10, 2017 at 7:09 pm
Referendum we stand
Okoye Samuel Ugochukwu
October 10, 2017 at 7:05 pm
Slave ..mumu man
Biafra Uche
October 10, 2017 at 7:03 pm
only if the ZOO called Nigeria still in existence.
Pheelz Pleelz Pheelz
October 10, 2017 at 7:03 pm
Joe Igbokwe go get a better job than this political jobbing. Southern Nigeria is tired of breast feeding the North. Don’t you get it.
Salis Abdullah Crc
October 10, 2017 at 7:00 pm
Igbos are Nigerian foreigners ppl from other country to play politics how
John Nwokedi
October 10, 2017 at 6:59 pm
“EWOO MUNA NWANNEM JERU AGHA AKPILI EGO, IFEAJUNA ELEE NWANNEM”
Cee Cee Ibezym
October 10, 2017 at 6:57 pm
Useless man
Paul Majah
October 10, 2017 at 6:57 pm
Sorry!
Isaac Nnamdi Ajoku
October 10, 2017 at 6:55 pm
Thunder will fire u with that 2023
Charles Osuigwe
October 10, 2017 at 6:54 pm
Igbo’s are not interested in Nigeria politics or elections, haven’t they made that very clear?
Austen Eziuloh
October 10, 2017 at 6:53 pm
Igbokwe will not live to see 2023. a A big fool finding space to talk rubbish all the time.
Kingsley Istanbul Vam
October 10, 2017 at 6:52 pm
All we say is Biafra’
Ebuka Stanleo Okolo
October 10, 2017 at 6:49 pm
Nkita ara
Esomchi Prince Echem
October 10, 2017 at 6:49 pm
https://youtu.be/3OVB6aVSaKo
Uche Chidiebere Joe
October 10, 2017 at 6:48 pm
Biafra all the way, igbokwe thunder fire you
Wisdom Ogboi Ojei
October 10, 2017 at 6:47 pm
Dear readers help me thank Doctor momoh who saved and cured me of hepatitis b virus with his herbal medicine for more issues like ulcer,cancer,asthma,and more call him on +2349065092740
Tobechukwu Adunigwe
October 10, 2017 at 6:45 pm
Idiot we want Biafra
Kenneth Emeaso
October 10, 2017 at 6:44 pm
Joe Igbokwe you are a disgrace to the people of Igbo land,if at all your father is an Igbo man, at your age, you can not make proper use of your senses, what an old fool like Joe Igbokwe, you choose to die as a slave, shame to you
Christian Kamah
October 10, 2017 at 6:44 pm
Adeleye ojo aka Joe igbokwe please face your problem in Lagos biafra can vote again
Barry Gabor
October 10, 2017 at 6:41 pm
YOU ARE A BASTARD
DamIan Chijioke
October 10, 2017 at 6:41 pm
We shall make sure u remained in exile.
Demann Okwu
October 10, 2017 at 6:41 pm
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Sunday Godwin and 3 others
Bishop Okem Okechukwu Samuel
October 10, 2017 at 6:41 pm
WE DON’T THE ZOOLOGICAL REPUBLICAN PRESIDENT
BIAFRA OR NOTHING BIAFRA OR NOTHING BIAFRA OR NOTHING BIAFRA OR NOTHING BIAFRA OR NOTHING BIAFRA OR NOTHING
Emmanuel Decency
October 10, 2017 at 6:40 pm
Chinedu Ugwu
October 10, 2017 at 6:38 pm
Foolish man,igboman cannever rule the zoo call Nigeria
Paul Johnson Aguguo
October 10, 2017 at 6:36 pm
in biafra we stand we don’t need politics of corruption,,,
Helsingborg Segelino
October 10, 2017 at 6:36 pm
Joe ur a fool n an incompetent bastard
Kc Young Efizzy Aguoma
October 10, 2017 at 6:36 pm
Efulefu come back home
Helsingborg Segelino
October 10, 2017 at 6:35 pm
Is DIS imbecile still talking????
Chukwuma Gentle
October 10, 2017 at 6:35 pm
Slave mentality
Golden Heart
October 10, 2017 at 6:34 pm
Fuck you confirm. Slave we don’t want Presidency… We need the Referendum to decide our Fate
David Chibueze Orji
October 10, 2017 at 6:34 pm
Out cast …local slave
Obed Ndunta
October 10, 2017 at 6:32 pm
Idiots, we need not your politics of robbers