Beyond Any Emotional Campaign For Southeast To Produce Nigeria’s Next President

ONWUASOANYA FCC JONES

Beyond the legitimate, politically accurate, nationalist focused and morally unquestionable quest for an Igbo of the Southeast to become the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria after President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023, the zone also parades some of the best and most qualified aspirants for that position.

Imagine a Peter Obi as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and we are faced with the current challenges that confront us. Let’s say the Kaduna train station attack happens. Peter Obi will not relax at Aso Rock to send condolence messages to the families of the victims or rush to pick up a microphone to talk without having been made abreast of the issues. Peter Obi will go to Kaduna; to the very place where the incident happened. He will get into the train, he will give marching orders to all those concerned and he will immediately fire those found culpable in mishandling the situation. He will not come out to lament about how three Billion Naira security gadget equipment would have averted this problem. He will take responsibility and ensure that those whose laxity brought this about are punished.

Imagine a Professor Kingsley Moghalu as President and Nigerians invaded the National Stadium after our darling team lost out on a chance to represent us at the World Cup. Moghalu would not sit idly in Aso Rock picking his teeth as if nothing happened. He will query the stadium managers; he will request the correct security report on the incident and take appropriate action to avert a repeat. He will walk to the main bowl of the national stadium and commiserate with Nigerians on the loss. He will dress smartly in Super Eagles jersey or fold up the sleeves of his shirt, worn upon grey trousers. He will invite the NFF President to join him on the visit.

Imagine Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba as President and Nigerians are sleeping at filling stations in search of petrol for the past three months. I don’t think it would happen, but if it does, Nwajiuba would not travel to London for medical checkup. He will stay back here and ensure that this is resolved as quickly as possible. He will not ban filling stations from selling to people in plastic rubbers. He knows that there are people whose businesses run on power generating sets, and they need petrol to power these generators.

Imagine Ogbonnaya Onu as President and power supply is as pathetic as it is. Well, I should trust that if he is up to twi years in office and Nigerians, or at least major cities in Nigeria can’t boast of 24 hours power supply, then, he would resign. But, he should be considerate enough to have taken emergency steps to restore power. He would at least have considered these power outages as enough national emergencies that warrants making a special broadcast to explain to Nigerians what are up.

Imagine a Pius Anyim Pius as President and there is this furore over Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act. I am sure we wouldn’t have even got to this embarrassing point, because he would have been to pick that up early enough through his adviser on National Assembly Matters. He would have raised the issue earlier enough with the Senate Leader and lobbied to ensure it is not passed. We wouldn’t have got to a situation where an act of parliament that has been in the works for years, would eventually be passed, the President signs it into law, and we are requiring some people going to Court to nullify that section. Anyim wouldn’t be such a lousy President.

Imagine a Mao Ohuabunwa as President and Naira is becoming a worthless piece of paper? Mao has done business; he had grown money from a few thousands to a multiple millions. He had started from one kiosk to owning multi-storey office complexes. He understands how the instability of dollars affects businesses and he would hire the best hands to give him the best advice on how to stabilize the Naira.

Imagine Orji Uzor Kalu as President and our sports sector is wobbling. Have you forgotten what he did with Enyimba during his days as governor? He will revive the Super and make our local leagues attractive. He will revive other sporting activities, because he knows how much that would help to keep our youths busy and reduce incidents of crime in the country.

Imagine a Rochas Okorocha as President and airlines are cancelling flights to a particular State in Nigeria, citing insecurity. The Rochas I know would fly a commercial plane to that State, even when he might not have an idea of how to resolve the issue immediately, but he would rush to that State with the aim of motivating those residing there or doing business in that State, that, Kaduna hasn’t become completely desolated by terrorists. That’s being charismatic.

An Umahi has shown through his performance in Ebonyi that he will tackle the deficit in road and other infrastructures as President. What he has done in the area of infrastructure with the very little resources available to him in Ebonyi should give anyone confidence that if a guarantee of good infrastructural intervention is the only qualification for voting a President, then, there is not a single aspirant from other parts of Nigeria who can beat Umahi’s qualification.