Igbo Presidency In 2023: Normalization OF Injustice is Unacceptable… A Must Read!!

By Ugonna Utulor (Guest Writer)

Discordant tunes have been playing out of powerbrokers ahead of the 2023 presidential election. Unacceptable moves have been made by elders from whom much better is expected. Statements from Junaid Muhammed and Yerima Shettima as well as political moves from Bola Tinubu and associates indicate that the rank and file of Nigerian politicians do not think about justice in their political posturing.

It has never been expected that 2023 would be easy for anyone. Nor had the Igbo expected that they would be given Nigeria’s presidency on a platter of gold, yet the statements being now thrown around in the village square should never be heard even in the other room. Political chess moves from political gladiators depict people who seem to think that power, in a complex country like Nigeria, belongs to them alone. But if this becomes the case, then the unity of Nigeria will not only be shattered but worse tragedies will befall a nation that is fast on the route to producing beasts of no nation. For it wouldn’t be out of place to consider a nation where you are not allowed leadership to not be your nation. And as we have seen, many have already concluded that Nigeria is not their nation. Instead of allaying these fears merchants of injustice have chosen to embolden them.

The Igbo have sacrificed for Nigeria. They have also stood for what they believe in. As noted by Musa Balarabe, the Igbo are the most Nigerian Nigerians, scattered everywhere across the country, living peacefully with all and contributing in no small measure to the development of their host communities. 2023 would be 24 years into the 4th republic and 64 years after independence. It should worry every Nigerian that the Igbo, being the third tripod of the Nigerian federation, has not held power beyond the six months of Aguiyi Ironsi and the five years of Nnamdi Azikiwe as ceremonial head of state.

Since return to democracy in 1999 the South West, the South South and the North West regions have held power leaving only three zones who are yet to test the Nigerian presidency namely the North East, the North Central and the South East. Being that power is currently in the North, and should rightly be given to the South in 2023, it would be the height of injustice to bypass the only southern region that has not tested power to give it to any of the others who have held power in this dispensation. It will also be injustice for the north to retain power in a federation where it’s consensually accepted that power rotation between north and south is best in accommodating the interests of all participating federating units.

Justice in 2023 would be to repeat what was done in 1999. To compensate the Yoruba nation on the injustices meted their son MKO Abiola, the major parties had in 1999 micro-zoned power to the South West region. To compensate the Igbo for a historical injustice, it would be right that the two major parties micro-zone power to the South East in 2023. Any other move is a normalization of injustice and the consequences will be catastrophic.