An Igbo President - by Tari Ogbowei

Despite the fact that Mr. Peter Obi is an Igbo man, he isn't running on an ethnic ticket. It is a fact that Mr. Peter Obi is now the most popular candidate and his supporters seem to come from every part of the country. On social media, his supporters keep chastising those who try to give him an ethnic colouration. His nationalist views, his track record of delivered campaign promises & timely intervention in pertinent matters while he was governor and his now famous speech, "Go and verify" endears him to Nigerians of all ethnicities. Mr. Peter Obi seems to be the first candidate since MKO Abiola with a pan Nigerian allure and downplays the ever present ethno-religious sentiment. The North produced the incumbent president and by rotation and equity, power is due back in the South. The South has three parts; the South West, South South and South East. The South West has produced a president for 8 years, Vice president for another 8 years. The South South has been president for 6 years and Vice president for 2 years, yet the South East has never been given the opportunity. The South East which are the Igbos have never produced neither the President nor the Vice president since we came back to civilian rule in 1999. Going by this, the equity, fairness and justice of the situation demands that power be ceded to the South East, since the presidency has been made a turn by turn thing. If it's the turn of any group, the Igbos are best poised for it but being Igbo is in itself a problem. From an ethnic perspective, his being Igbo is meant to serve as a disadvantage as the Igbos are the most disliked and maligned ethnic group in the nation. In successive governments, it is made sure of that they have the smallest representation in appointed positions and are usually overlooked in the national scheme of things. The Igbos have been repressed since the civil war. It seems they haven't been forgiven for the secession attempt and the punishment for their supposed treachery is being the region with the least federal investment. In an unofficial agreement, the rest of Nigeria makes sure that the Igbos never get close to the seat of power, not even in the Vice Presidential capacity. The Igbos can't be trusted and must be put down by all means. This coupled with the fact that the Igbos can't seem to be united in common interest makes them a weak political bloc. For the first time in a long time, the Igbos are uniting. Not just them, but the rest of Nigeria. For the first time in a long time, Nigerians are putting tribe and religion aside to create a nationalist movement in support of a seemingly nationalist candidate. For the first time, we might have an Igbo President who wouldn't be voted in on the basis of tribe but because he is seen as competent. Yet, his being Igbo works to his advantage because it is the turn of the Igbos and he seems like just the right type of Igbo man to be entrusted with the nation. Mr. Obi's candidacy is auspicious and it seems the stars align in his favour.

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