Many of my friends and followers on this page are young so I can understand when they do not have the benefit of history. My post on President Buhari and age is about his hypocrisy, using age as an excuse for poor performance and supporting a 75 years old as National Chairman.
I am a proponent and supporter of zoning. It is the turn of the SOUTHEAST to produce Presidential Candidates in both parties. I was at Jos convention when President Obasanjo was chosen. I was a member of Eastern Mandate Union, one of the foundation groups that formed AD, when the AD and APP took out Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and Dr. Ezeife to give their presidential ticket to Chief Olu Falae.
I was with President Obasanjo, when he said in his book, I lobbied him for Gov. Elrufai to become President in 2007 and he threw his weight behind Gov. Yar’Adua. I played a crucial role in that campaign. Gov. Peter Odili was stopped to make Late Yar’Adua President to respect zoning.
I was also, present when the debate about President Jonathan running for President in 2011 was resolved with the understanding that he would run for one term as pushed by Northern Governors.
In 2015, the special purpose vehicle, APC gained traction partly due to the zoning of it’s Party Presidential ticket to the North. In alignment with the mood of the country.
In 2017 PDP took a position to zone the Presidency to the North in deference to zoning principle.
I am the most consistent advocate of zoning in PDP. I started the campaign In 2019 at Owerri during the launch of Chief Mbazulike Amechi’s Biography, I ended my book review with the following quote and I stand by it.
“In 1999 Igbos voted for President Obasanjo from South West despite the
painful loss of Alex Ekwueme to him during the primaries at Jos. Obasanjo
got 3.2M votes from the South East about 70% of the votes cast in 1999.
“In 2003 President Obasanjo garnered 4.5M votes about 68% of the votes while
Ikemba Nnewi Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu got about 22%.
“In 2007 we voted Late President Yar’Adua, from North West with a South
South running mate against Gen. Buhari who had an Igbo Vice Presidential
candidate.
“In 2011 we voted President Goodluck from South South and repeated it in
2015 with over 90% of the votes in each election.
“In 2019 we (SE) voted Atiku Abubakar from North East. To drive the point home the North west after voting Obasanjo with about 63% in 1999 shifted to Buhari in 2003 with 62% and have consistently voted for Northerners since 2007. No Southerner after 1999 have scored above 30% averagely in the North East and North West.
“In 2019 the South East despite our ideological and fundamental
disagreement with President Buhari’s brand of politics which has failed to
manage our diversity and provide the rule-based economy that unlocks private capital, promotes and rewards entrepreneurship and encourages
merit, gave him the largest percentage increase in votes.
“While his votes in the North west, his core voting block declined by about 15% against 2015votes, his votes in the South east in 2019 grew by over 200% over 2015 voteswith 25% of the votes cast in three states from zero in 2015.
“The South East ethnic-blind voting pattern is the ultimate proof of our cosmopolitan ethos despite opinion to the contrary. It is time for the country to take note and allow politics of live and let live to grow roots.
“In Presidential elections, South East votes has been cast on a largely ideological basis in support of inclusion, rule of law, freedom, democracyand open markets.”
Finally, for clarity, I will never join to denigrate age as the words of the great Zik to my senior brother Chuba Okadigbo still rings true to my ear. In response to Dr Okadigbo Zik said:
.”…But then, Chuba, if it is not the tradition of our people that elders are roundly insulted by young men of the world, as you have unjustly done to me, may your~ reign come to an abrupt and shattering close….”
My father is 95 years old in good mental state. I am a traditional title holder and will never denigrate age. I advise you all to do same.
