The All Progressives Congress (APC) South-East zone, has called on Igbo leaders to stop desecration of the long standing Igbo tradition and by extension “our revered ancestors” in the name of defending our dear ex-president, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
Mr Osita Okechukwu, the Spokesman of the South-East APC, in a statement on Sunday, said the party’s worry is that “the timeless Igbo tradition which admonishes us not to steal, and not to defend nor associate with rogues or even alleged rogues, is being flagrantly breached; by prominent Igbo sons, crying more than Ijaw sons and daughters”.
He stated that “We are yet to locate any sentence where any of them, even our revered icon, erudite and constitutional lawyer, Professor Ben Nwabueze in any form denied the mindless, pervasive and unbridled corruption which governed ex-president Jonathan’s regime. We stand to be corrected. Then why splash us with the mud?
“The latest in the ultra-defense of ex-president Jonathan’s regime is that of sit-tight Secretary General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Joe Nwaorgu, who was quoted as saying ‘There are corrupt people around President Buhari. In public perception, people who are corrupt are around him, he should cast his eyes around him and get those who are parading to be in the same party with him, but who do not have the same pedigree in terms of decency like him… if the president is probing he should go beyond the last regime or else it will be witch-hunt. So he should go deeper than that, Chief Obasanjo’s administration should also be probed. Let them say what he did in Igbo land for eight years. Were we not part of Nigeria during Obasanjo’s regime?’
“In making his hate- speech as if he truly places Igbo interest above his personal interest, he failed to take into account President Buhari’s profound statement in this regard, when he stated that ‘I believe it is time for Nigeria to change course. That is why I sought for election as president and got elected. As president I am determined that Nigeria must move away from a course of endemic corruption that was leading us to perdition. There can be no question of our willfully allowing anyone to get away with corruption. No matter the pressure and entreaties the anti corruption war will continue and all accused persons will have their day in court.’
“We are least surprised that Chief Nwaorgu in one hand agrees with the decency pedigree and integrity quotient of President Buhari and on the other hand accuses him of partiality. Is this not a paradox; just as how he deliberately botched the meeting between Ohaneze Ndigbo and Mr President, following the request letter of November, 2014, where President Buhari wanted to chat the way forward with Ndigbo.
“May we appeal to Chief Joe Nwaorgu and his cohorts, if actually the interest of Ndigbo is what they are fighting for, to climb down from their high horses, drop their ancient stereotypes and stop the hate narratives and embrace the true position that Ndigbo stands to gain more from President Buhari’s regime if ever we gained from our massive support to former president Jonathan”.
Okechukwu added that failure which, “Chief Joe Nwaorgu and his cohorts may wittingly or unwittingly confirm the allegation that they – Ndigbo ultra-defenders of Jonathan – were beneficiaries of presidential campaign slush funds.
“It is our considered view first that Ndigbo like all hard working groups in the country stand to gain more from a transparent regime, which caters for both the talented and the needy; than a predator regime, which dispensed only patronage to cronies.
“Secondly, the Igbo ethnic merchants and gossip-terrorists who bandy all manner of conspiracy hate theories against President Buhari must come to terms that an eight-year tenure of the man of uncommon integrity is the surest route to actualisation of president of Igbo extraction, given the zoning convention.
“In the context submitted above, it is time to think out of the box and reason that Ndigbo’s support for President Muhammadu Buhari is a win-win-game for all Nigerians.
“Therefore, stop desecration of Igbo tradition and our great ancestors by supporting the less than transparent ex-president”.
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