Nwajiuba

 

By PASCHAL EGERUE— Dear delegates to the APC convention for the Election of the Presidential flag bearer for the 2023 Presidential Election. You have before you a one in life time opportunity to save this country from destabilization, to re-navigate the country to Unity and Faith, Peace and progress being the guiding ethos of the country as enshrined in S.15(1) of the 1999 constitution(as amended). This is the time to disengage and neutralize the fault lines of this country and to enthrone the beauty in our diversity. Our constitution proclaims in S.15(1)(2) that national integration shall be be actively encouraged, whilst discrimination on grounds of place of origin, sex, religion, status, ethnic or linguistic association or ties shall be prohibited. The key word here is ‘shall be prohibited’. The Constitution never said ‘shall be tolerated’. It is for this purpose that the Constitution continues to emphasize the import of social justice to our national co- existence (see S.14(2)(b) and S 23 together with other similar provisions. To further emphasize social justice, the Constitution in S.15(4) stated emphatically that the State shall foster a feeling of belonging and of involvement among the various peoples of the Federation, to the end that loyalty to the nation shall override sectional loyalties. To ensure that no person pays lip service to this national imparative, the Constitution at S.14(c)states unequivocally that the participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this constitution. The provisions of the Constitution in this regard is avowedly made manifest in S.14(3) which states – “The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of it’s agencies and the conduct of it’s affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the Federal character of Nigeria and the need to  promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or any of it’s agencies”. Given these robust provisions of the Constitution, it can safely be said that it is those who don’t want to play by the dictates of our constitution that want this country dead and buried. This class of politicians have been the problem of this country. Rather than grow to become statesmen, they remained stunted in their egoistic ambition to impose themselves on  this nation as if a debt is owed them to make them President of this country in their life time.  In all our period of democracy, our leaders  have always cited copiously the provisions of the Constitution as our guide. For this, the major parties in this country zoned their national and state offices to reflect North and South and often the six geopolitical zones. This concept of geopolitical zones is derived from nationalistic commitment of our statesmen to enthrone social justice in this nation. Based on this,  candidates from the major ethnic groups in this country with the exception of the igbo have been elected as Presidents of Nigeria.   Translated to geopolitical zones, it means that North West, South West and South South have been elected as President of Nigeria. The only zones now left are South East, North East and North Central. However, in the North/South rotation arrangement, it is the South East that should be producing the President in the next dispensation while perhaps, the North East or North Central will produce the Vice President while waiting for their turn. If this is so as it is so, why will a Northern candidate seek to replace a Northern incumbent President in 2023?. If this is so as it is so, why will a South West candidate seek to be elected President after the zone had her 8 years(Obasanjo and Osibanjo) in capacities of President and Vice President respectively? If this is so as it so, why will a candidate from South South seek to be elected as President after HE Goodluck Jonathan did his term as Vice President and President of Nigeria? It is indeed difficult to understand the current political summersaults happening around the issue of the primaries that will soon take place except to suspect that some selfish politicians having stolen all the wealth of Nigeria at their disposal have decided to rock the boat and flee. The responsibility is on all of us to stop this madness and dispel the ominous cloud that is gathering. Being the President of this country should not be reduced to an entitlement to people who feel that it is their exit crown. There are so many other ways a genuine Patriot can serve this nation other than being a President. The Constitution at S.24(c) enjoins us to respect the dignity of other citizens and the rights and legitimate interests of others and live in unity and harmony and in the spirit of brotherhood. How can the Presidential aspirants/contestants from South South, South West, North East and North Central or elsewhere other than the South East convince Nigerians that they are prepared to respect the  legitimate interests of others as enshrined in the Constitution at S.24(c)?.  Contestants from South South and South West are hurting the  legitimate interest of the South East the most.  I wonder how Southern Nigeria can co – exist in brotherhood and mutual respect any longer if these contestants from South West and South South go ahead to truncate the legitimate interest of South East in producing the next President of Nigeria. The disunity this will cause in Southern Nigeria is too heavy a price to pay for the egoistic pursuit of a few individuals. If what is happening is a script to disorganize and derail unity in Southern Nigeria, it is sadly almost succeeding at the instance of South West and South South politicians jostling for Presidency against what should be the run of play.  Reason need to prevail fast to stop the descent of the South to abyss. Let us listen to the wisdom of our elders Pa Adebanjo and Pa Clark.  We have to be careful what we sow or plant because harvest time will surely come. I am sure those who think that the South East are not prepared for 2023 are shocked by the galaxy of alpha candidates they are presenting in all the parties especially APC and PDP. The Dr Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba proposition in APC is unassailable. Nwajiuba is a phenomenon that  should be allowed  to berth and unleash his program for national rebirth. He is the Ace that the ruling party APC should play if the party seriously intends to retain power and in peace come 2023. Nigeria needs to move forward.  We need to heal all the wounds and lay the ghost of the civil war to rest. We need to elevate this nation to a higher moral ground to fight and decisively route out terrorism, banditry, criminal variants of agitations, armed robbery, kidnapping and the weaponization of religion and ethnic gang up. The youths of this nation must be productively put back to work. The South East Presidential candidates are seeking to prove that they are builders and not destroyers.  Any person resenting them is simply afraid of resetting and recalibrating this nation to a higher performance standard template. The balkanizers of Nigeria would rather have the status quo maintained so that the nation will continue to bleed while they gloat about as leaders of a sapped and malnourished nation. We all need to join hands to say no! never again!!!. The time is now for APC as the ruling party to set a sound  higher moral tone for this country. No Political party should allow any member to destabilize  the pedestal for unity and cohesion of this beautiful country. S. 224 of the 1999 constitution as amended states that “The programme as well as the aims and objects of a political party shall conform with the provisions of chapter 2 of this constitution”. The party delegates should be guided by this fact in their voting to elect the APC Presidential flag bearer. Importantly, they should read and commit to mind the the Fundamental Objectives and Directive principles of state policy, especially S.14(2)(a)(b)(c), S.14(3), 15(1)&(2) and 15(4) of this chapter 2. Attention of the delegates is also drawn to the oath of allegiance enshrined as 7th schedule to the Constitution and which reads as follows – “I, ……do solemnly swear/affirm that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and that I will preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So help me God”.  It is important for the delegates and indeed for all Nigerians to know that this oath of allegiance is not allegiance to individuals but to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Paschal Egerue is a Lagos based Insurance and Management consultant.