Why Igbos don't need the Senate Presidency: Post election musings.
The most retrogressive argument I have heard people make after the election is that the Igbos have committed a political suicide by voting overwhelmingly for the PDP. The fallacy of this assumption is that the proponents think Nigeria should suddenly become a one party state because somebody is shouting change. This definitely is not democracy. Someone even argued that they should have at least voted some people into the National Assembly to win the golden price of Presidency of the Senate or Speaker of House of Reps. Since when do ethnic groups meet to decide to give some votes to one party and some to others. Again I am baffled at our shortsightedness for the following reasons;
1. During the inglorious years of Obasanjo in power, the Igbos had the Senate Presidency for 8 years without any corresponding dividend to our people. Instead the most anti- democracy President we ever had ensured that touts kidnapped a seating Governor in the East. What will the senate Presidency change now?
2. The proponents are so parochial that they think that the more than 200 other minority ethnic groups in Nigeria are not good enough for these positions. Otherwise how will the famous advocates of change think that Nigeria is a kingdom divided among the three major ethnic groups-hence Hausa for President, Yoruba for Vice and oh Igbos just lost the opportunity to present a Senate President. I think we are not being fair to the minority from where Goodluck Jonathan comes from. Could that be the reason why he was promised no peace during his administration and so it came to be.
3. If history should be our guide, take a ride back toI1998 when the PDP lost in South West (Yoruba) and the six states went to the opposition Alliance for Democracy. President Obasanjo actually lost in his ward. Nobody called it political naivety. In 2003, on ethnic consideration, the AD governors decided to vote Obasanjo of PDP for the presidency and to vote AD for governorship. Note that this was an election against the current face of change Gen. Buhari. The agreement went soar and Obasanjo rigged all gubernatorial elections in favour of PDP. Tinubu the then Governor of Lagos state was the only survivor. I think students of history will admit that what the Igbos did is neither a precedent nor strange in our land.
4. In conclusion, the Igbos are comfortable in the opposition and vibrant opposition is one of the most important elements in a healthy democracy. Suffice it to say that we will be deepening the democratic process from our current position and we don't want any mourners crying for the Igbo people.
by IKENNA UGWU
