- Believes PDP may ride to power on APC abysmal performance
A former governor of Enugu State, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, has expressed fear that the South East geopolitical zone may not have the opportunity of occupying any position in the corridors of power should the zone fail to secure an appreciable political post in 2023.
He lamented the fact that the zone has for long been neglected in the political power equation in the country.
The Senator representing Enugu East senatorial district also warned that the abysmal performance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in governance may pave the way for an easy ride of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to power through the ballot in the 2023 general election.
Answering questions on Arise Television news programme anchored from Abuja, Nnamani lamented that successive administrations at the centre have ignored and jettisoned power equation which traditionally recognized the South East Zone as one of the legs of the tripod in the power equation of the country.
In an emotion ladened tone, he said that it is becoming obvious that South East region is unwanted in the Nigerian union due to the continued neglect of the zone in the power equation.
Going down memory lane on the power equation, he said “since Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (Rtd) was eased out of number two position under Military President Ibrahim Babangida, no South Easterner has been considered for either the President or Vice President in Nigeria.
“This is the dilemma of the Igbo man. We have been shortchanged in the leadership of Nigeria. This is not the nation our progenitors negotiated for. It is against the spirit of a Nigerian union where tribes and tongues may differ but in brotherhood we stand”.
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The former governor lamented that the Igbo in spite of their spread across the length and breadth of Nigeria and beyond are now pseudo minority on account of the tragic circumstances including but not limited to military incursion into government.
Senator Nnamani queried , “How can we (Ndigbo) be proud to belong to a Union where we cannot aspire or be considered for top positions.
”If 2023 passes without the South East being accommodated in the power arrangements, we would have to wait for the next 16 years and will be out of power reckoning for 40 years from 1999.”
He said the PDP has a window of opportunity to correct the imbalance against the South East affirming that the zone has kept a clean slate and maintained political fidelity since 1999.
Also, the senator criticised the APC over what he called the abysmal performance of the ruling party since it came to power in 2015.
He submitted that the failure of the ruling party is enough to pass a vote of no confidence on them and asked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to take a bow and return to government in 2023.
“If we were under a parliamentary system of government, the APC would have received a vote of no confidence and be sacked for non performance while the PDP should take a bow and be elected to govern Nigeria”, Senator Nnamani stated.
He listed areas of failure to include ceaseless amount of loans, rising unemployment, skyrocketed foreign exchange rates, inflation, insecurity, labour unrest, lack of infrastructure and resort to blame game; the trade mark of APC that have brought the nation’s economy to its knees.
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