Politics

Ohanaeze To Present Presidential Candidates From S’East

Published

4 years ago

January 17, 2022

The Ohanaeze Ndi’gbo has indicated its readiness to present candidates from the South-East geo-political zone for the presidential election in 2023.
Several presidential aspirants have emerged from the zone, including former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim; Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi; former Governor of Abia State and Majority Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Kalu; former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, KingleyMoghalu, among others.
Leader of the socio-cultural organisation, Prof George Obiozor, while speaking on Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Channels Television which was monitored in Port Harcourt on Thursday, said that it was only fair for power to rotate from North to South, and the South-East getting it for the first time in Nigeria’s history.
He said, “Definitely, the idea of the President of Nigeria from Igboland is an idea whose time has come. It is politically and morally justifiable. As a matter of fact, it is important that at this time in the history of Nigeria, we will take reasonable decisions in order to heal the nation; give every part of the country a sense of belonging, stop the bickering and reunite the country, and reinvigorate the spirit of nationalism.
“To be candid, we in Igboland are also ready to give you candidates and presidential aspirants that are competent, nationalistic, with the capacity to perform, with evidence of what they have done and what they can do for the rest of the country.
“Indeed, we are ready and all we are asking the nation is to obey the law of rotation in our history, which has been North and South and which created the balance – a political balance that has held our country together.”
Responding to another question on why the South-East should produce the next president, Obiozor said, “The statistics on presidents and creation of states and local government areas as well as National Assembly have shown that the zone deserves more.
“In order words, if you look at the Nigerian political calculations, it is designed in such a way that we are last in everything and we are also going to be last in all the zones in taking the presidency,” he said.
The retired ambassador also stated that people of the South-East are unanimous on the call for power to go to the zone after the tenure of the President Muhammadu Buhari.
”The whole idea of accusing Igbos of not being united is a gimmick and, in fact, a frivolous criticism because people who are very universal and individual istic cannot be controlled like cattle. Igbo have their strategy. When they find what they want, they unite,” Obiozor stated.
The Ohanaeze leader also called for amnesty for members of the proscribed Indegenous Peoples of Biafra and its detained leader, NnamdiKanu, who is being tried by the Federal Government.
Obiozor said, “We in Igboland have made it categorically clear that we prefer a political solution to it a dialogue and it is clear to the rest of Nigerians and we have repeatedly said it that the Igbo nation is not at war with Nigeria. Therefore, what is happening can be handle political solution is the answer dialogue is the answer just like in the other sections of Nigeria.
”(In) some areas of Nigeria, people who behaved like Kanu have been forgiven, given amnesty, and reintegrated into the country. So also is what we are asking, for Mr President to use the prerogative of mercy to look into the situation in the South-East. Prerogative of mercy is exclusively the right of the President. We are not talking about the use of court or use of force. Use of force is dangerous to everybody and definitely, it will not solve the problem; it will make it worse.”
Obiozor added, “There is no ambiguity at all. When Mr President visited Igboland, we made the same statement. Several times, I, as President of Ohanaeze, including last week, made a similar statement concerning Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB. And I have made the reference that you are totally aware of. You saw South-South’s (Niger Delta) Avengers, MEND and the rest, and how the matter was resolved. You saw how even the present Boko Haram: those (members) who said they are reprinting and how they are being rehabilitated.
”The problem of federalism is that the sensitivity is very much on the surface. If you don’t do to others as you have done to one, you will have problems. That is what I mean by precarious balance which must be maintained by any leadership in a country like Nigeria. It is not anything strange; it is actually an honourable demand.”

Politics

LP Crisis: Ex-NWC Member Dumps Dumps Abure Faction

Published

3 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A former National Organising Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Clement Ojukwu, has expressed regret that the several legal cases brought against the party since the 2023 general elections have impacted the party’s performance.

Mr Ojukwu, who recently returned to the interim National Working Committee led by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, noted that the party had 34 elected members in the House of Representatives, eight Senators, and 80 members at the state Houses of Assembly after the 2023 general elections.

“Now we lost all of them,” he said. “I don’t think we have as many as five members in the National Assembly.”

The former national officer of the LP talked to journalists in Abuja and said he chose to join the caretaker committee led by Senator Nenadi-Usman because they are now the officially recognized leaders of the Party.

“I chose to work with the caretaker committee to help save the Labour Party, for the benefit of the party. I also want to use this chance to ask my colleagues at the national, state, and local government levels to come together and help rebuild our party.

“Another election is around the corner. We lost everything we have. They have left to other political parties. So I’ll reach out to all my friends in the other group to get together and work on making this party stronger again.

“The caretaker committee has formed a reconciliation committee. Let’s come together and talk so that we can restore the first opposition political party in Nigeria.”

Mr Ojukwu, who was part of the Julius Abure’s group, said there are no more factions in the LP.

He added, “There is a court ruling, and since it is valid, the right people are in the correct positions.”

He urged Barr Abure and others to drop the legal cases they have filed because they are not helping the party.

“Litigations are killing political parties”, he said. “They’ve seen many political parties disappear because of legal battles, and the Labor Party is losing support every day, which makes me feel sad.”

Mr Ojukwu said he did not think joining the Senator Nenadi-Usman’s NWC was a betrayal of the Abure group, describing himself as “the oxygen” of that faction.

“I’m with this group because of the verdict. But I never betrayed anybody. Rather, I was betrayed,” he added.

Politics

2027: NIGERIANS FAULT INEC ON DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP REGISTER DIRECTIVE

Published

3 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A number of Nigerians have strongly criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its directive to all political parties in the country to submit digitalized membership register within 32 days.

It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following it’s reversed timetable, directed all political parties in the country to submit their digitalized membership registers within 32 days.

Speaking on the reversed timetable in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, respondents said the directive amounted to disqualifying opposition political parties from fielding candidates in all the elections next year.

They said if the directives by the commission is implemented, only the All Progressives Congress (APC) would participate in the elections since it started it’s digital membership registration since February, last year.

Responding, an elder statesman in Rivers State, Chief Sunnie Chukumele, said the revised timetable was okay, but the timeframe for submission of digital membership register was being made at the wrong time.

Chief Chukumele said, for the past two years, all opposition political parties have been battling various issues in court, adding that they did not have the time to embark on membership drive, talk less of digitalizing their membership registers.

“My reaction is that the only issue with this revised timetable is the timeframe given by INEC for parties to submit digitalize memberships register in all the states of the federation, while giving notice of Congresses and convention. That is not possible”, he said.

He said only the ruling APC is likely to meet up with the directive, since it began its registration since last year.

Chief Chukumele, who is also the National Coordinator of Coalition of Rivers State Leaders of Thought (CORSLOT), alleged that the directive of the electoral body may have been targeted to prevent other parties from fielding candidates for the elections next year.

“When you say all the parties should submit digitalized registers of membership in 32 days, how will that be possible to conclude it in 32 days”, he queried.

He noted that “APC used one year ago to do, so APC has one year in the kitty plus 30 days. This is highly regrettable”.

The CORSLOT national leader urged the election umpire to do away with stringent conditions that will make it hard for opposition political parties to field candidates in the elections.

Also speaking, Mr Jacob Enware from Edo State queried the rationale behind the directive, especially when some opposition political parties are still having cases in court.

In his words, ”What opposition political parties are you talking about, is Labour Party not in court or PDP that is yet to resolve their issues?

”For me, INEC should provide a level playing field for all, because aside the APC, no party can meet up this criteria.”

In his own response, Mr Nathaniel Ebere said he was not prepared to vote for anybody whether INEC provides a level playing field or not.

He alleged that his vote would not count, “so I will not waste my time”.

By: John Bibor

Politics

IT’S A LIE, G-5 GOVS DIDN’T WIN ELECTION FOR TINUBU – SOWUNMI

Published

3 days ago

March 2, 2026

The Tide

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Convener of The Alternative, Otunba Segun Sowunmi, has expressed reservations about the political stance of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, while calling for reconciliation among key party figures.

Otunba Sowunmi made the remarks during a television interview on Saturday, when asked about the relationship between Gov. Makinde and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike.

He said, “I don’t believe Seyi Makinde. Because I know them all. I’ve been in this party since it was registered. And I’ve been loyal, faithful, diligent with this party from the get-go, and I’ve never left.”

He underscored his longstanding commitment to the PDP, referencing prominent figures who had exited the party at different times: “I’ve had the grace, and the honor, and the dignity of watching even my father, Obasanjo, shed his card. As much as I love him, I didn’t leave the party”.

He added, “I’ve had the privilege of watching my beloved senior brother, Governor Gbenga Daniel, leave the party a few times. As much as I respect his vision and his ideas, I’ve never left. I’ve watched my former principal, Atiku Abubakar, leave a few times. I’ve never left.”

Otunba Sowunmi stressed that his comments were rooted in deep involvement with the party: “So when I talk about PDP, I’m not talking as an outsider, I’m talking as one of their totems, who was actually carrying them.”

He disclosed that he wrote to Makinde during the governor’s last birthday, urging reconciliation among a bloc of five governors who had formed a movement during the 2023 elections.

“At Governor Seyi Makinde’s last birthday, I wrote him a letter where I tried to say, look, you guys, the five of you, succeeded to the extent of creating a movement of your own”, he said.

He added, “And you fought very hard to make a point in the 2023 election. Although I don’t believe you won the election for the president, that’s a lie. They contributed, but I hate when people take the glory of other people’s work.”

Otunba Sowunmi warned that unresolved differences among the group could weaken the party: “You guys, you must go back to your four friends, your five friends, and you guys go and sort it out. Because not sorting it out with your five friends is going to leave the party worse off.”

He added, “But now that you’re fighting, or you’re not agreeing with yourselves, why don’t you go back to that same energy that allowed you to agree, so that you can use that energy inside to agree, and then we can lead the party.”