By Princess-Ekwi Ajide, Abuja
A Director with the Centre for Alternative Policy Perspectives and Strategy (CAPPS), Abuja, Professor Udenta O. Udenta, has asked ndi Igbo from the South East to shun the construct of zoning to the south which according to him, is fraudulent, mischievous, duplicitous and full of concealment of two intentions.
He said unless it is spelt out, ndi Igbo should note that it is based on false binary of the North and South adding that practical necessity in politics is a core requirement for political participation because if one dwells at the world of ideology, philosophy or pure strategy, one may loose sight of the practical reality of the political process.
The professor of culture, wondered why Obasanjo’s 8 years of Presidency, and Osinbanjo’s 8 years of Vice Presidency would be kept aside and one is looking for extra support whereas the sacrifices of ndiigbo of the South East like Ogbonnaya Onu, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Ekwueme among others would be for nothing.
He called for a clear, visible, unambiguous statement about power shift to the South East that has not experienced Presidential power at all saying that people from the south west of this country stands morally disqualified, and as such, whoever is from that region should not aspire to contest unless for one who is insufferably greedy.
Professor Udenta said that for his belief in the presidency from the Igbo extraction, he had rather support someone from the North than be hoodwinked to support anybody from the South West as politicians are insincere in their quest for power shift and the elites are confusing the rest of the country about amorphous power shift to the South which may in the long run, result in South West or South South Presidential grabbing power.
He revealed that he is supporting Governor Bala Mohammed’s Presidencial project for 2023 against the popular yawning and aspirations for south east president even from patriots from other ethnic groups because according to him, it is better to have a rear guard action with the likes of Bala Mohammed who is eminently qualified to run.
Professor Udenta gave further reasons why he is aligning with Bala’s Presidential project, to include the doctrine of necessity which Bala championed, the integrity group he led in the senate without looking at geography or demography, how he ran the most inclusive FCT Ministry when he was the Minister and his transformation work in Bauchi among others
He lamented what he called “weak Igbo base” in People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that could be overwhelmed by the dubious, fraudulent, indeterminate power shift to the South, hence it is better to have a progressive northerner as part of his own collective bargaining and conversation in the South East.
“I was involved in the struggle for restoration of democracy and de-marginalisation of the eastern Nigeria under the platform of Eastern Mandate Union (EMU) so, support the clamour for a president from the Igbo extraction who should be the best from the region”. He said.
Recall that Prof Udenta. on Thursday accompanied Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and other Nigerians to visit former president Goodluck Jonathan at his Abuja resident to inform him of his intention to run for the 2023 presidential election.
During the visit, Governor Bala said that he will not contest if Jonathan steps into the ring either in Peoples Democratic Party or any other party and secondly introduced Prof Udenta O. Udenta as the leader of the team that he put together to advise him on his aspiration to run.
