Igbo Hated Buhari, Now Begs him for Presidency

 

By Obinna Akukwe

Majority of Igbo who over time displayed extreme hatred for Muhammadu Buhari, are now begging, salivating, groveling and threatening him to support Igbo for Presidency. This hatred dates back to 2007. Since then marketing Buhari to the average Igboman is a difficult exercise, including to my colleagues in the clergy, activism, media or the masses.

 

Rev Obinna Akukwe is saying ' good morning to Ndigbo' .Today all the fabled friends of Ndigbo in PDP, the party they followed for sixteen years, have abandoned them.

In the upcoming PDP primaries, Peter Obi, Igbo's brightest chance will come a distant fourth or fifth. The PDP they supported since 1999 have betrayed them. They are set to give ticket to Atiku. Now Igbo are begging Buhari to use consensus magic to give them presidency.

 

The Goodluck Jonathan, whom they jettisoned zoning to support in 2011 and 2015, is negotiating for a ticket in APC.

 

Two foremost government critics who instigated so much hatred against the North,Muslims, Fulani, Hausa, Buhari and APC, in the persons of Femi Fani Faypde and Reno Omokri, are now working for Buhari, Atiku, North, Fulani', Hausa, and APC.

 

Igbo's are now begging northern leaders, Emirs, to lobby Buhari for a ticket.

 

We fluffed a golden opportunity on the altar of senseless hatred. Igbo's hated Buhari. They see him as an Islamist, terrorist who wants to either use the Fulani's to take over their land, or force them to be shouting 'Allahu Akbaru' instead of ' Praise the Lord'

 

I have argued over the years that this pathological hatred for Buhariwill backfire oneday.. Sorry to disappoint you, Rev Obinna Akukwe does not share that hatred for Buhari. As a matter of fact, I was among some youth who mobilized in Abuja to confront the Obasanjo PDP Presidential Rigging Machine of 2003, after Buhari and Okadigbo promised Mass Action. I have insisted that Buhari chickened out of that protest over an election he won, and Obasanjo introduced massive rigging into Nigeria's President.

 

Igbo hatred for Buhari is baseless. Buhari and Ojukwu had alliance in 2003; I still have details of that alliance. Buhari made Chuba Okadigbo his running mate in 2003 election. In 2007, Buhari made Edwin Ume-Ezeoke his running mate. During these two periods, Igbo's rejected him and his Igbo running mates.

 

I have evidences that Buhari won the 2003 and 2007 elections, but Obasanjo and northern elites, on two occasions, conspired to deny him the presidency. Therefore, Igbo haters of Buhari have northern elitist corroborators. I wrote about this in 2011, in a piece titled ' Going Going Gone! Nigerian Northern Elites and the Auctioning of Buhari'

 

In 2015, Buhari wrote letter to Ohanaeze Ndigbo for negotiations on what Igbo want, ahead of 2015 polls. Ohanaeze Ndigbo under Gary Igariwey refused to invite Buhari for negotiations; instead they collected N5 billion naira from Jonathan for endorsement. I still have a copy of that letter Buhari wrote to Ohanaeze.

 

In 2019, Buhari wrote another letter, asking Ohanaeze to present Igbo demands ahead of re-election; Nnia Nwodo hid the letter, and ran to Atiku for settlement.

 

Ndigbo in Buhari's first tenure has no representative in the National Security Council, an avoidable oversight. However. Igbo was made Minister of State Petroleum, a super ministry equal in influence to the three given to Raji Fashola, and Rotimi Amechi.

 

Buhari gave Igbo Foreign Affairs, Labour, Science and Technology and Education to South East. South East had four substantive ministers while some zones had only two.

 

Buhari ensured that Godwin Emefiele, another Igbo, was the first Nigerian whose tenure as CBN governor was renewed for another five years. He also made an Igbo the Deputy Governor CBN.

 

Buhari accelerated the completion of Second Niger Bridge, after Obasanjo, Yaradua and Jonathan played politics with the bridge for sixteen years.

 

Therefore, that hatred is grossly unfounded. Other Presidents have not done more than Buhari for Ndigbo.

 

Ndigbo hated him before he became President. Nnamdi KANU since 2014, before Buhari became President has called him a terrorist, child rapist who raped Aisha into marriage. Later, after his arrest, and jumping bail, he said Buhari is dead. Buhari is dead. Jubril-al- Sudan is the clone, according to him.

 

Buhari as a human being, being maligned, abused, ridiculed, has the right to feel bad.

 

Today, all the friends Ndigbo relied upon have abandoned them. PDP have abandoned them. Jonathan, Atiku, Fani Kayode, Reno Omokri and other influencers have left them in the cold.

 

Rev Obinna Akukwe has been a Buharist since 2003, with no apologies. However, I have criticized Buhari's policies that are incorrect, and it is in public domain. I have also warned his aides about consequences of certain policies.

 

Therefore, from insider knowledge, it’s obvious that the only person that can help Ndigbo now is Muhammad Buhari, the man they love to hate.

 

Can Buhari help Ndigbo ? Igbo Parades credible persons including Ogbonnaya Onu,, Rotimi Amechi, Rochas Okorocha, Godwin Emefiele, Dave Umahi and Emeka Nwajiuba Buhari can ignore the hateful disposition of Ndigbo and extend his hand to salvage this sinking ship called ' Igbo Presidency 2023'

 

( Rev Obinna Akukwe, columnist, activist, profetobinna2@yahoo.com, @obinnaalukwe, is the Director General of Igbo Mandate Congress IMC, Vice Chairman BOT, Igbo Think Tank ITT))