Super Eagles of Nigeria played a crucial 0-0 away draw against Ghana in the first leg of Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup playoff against the BlackStars of Ghana in Kumasi.
Indeed Super Eagles have a difficult task at hand, considering the away goals rule which is still in force in the FIFA World Cup Playoffs.
Ex Super Eagles players stated thier satisfaction and expectations from the Eagles on the return leg in Abuja.
Nigeria will host Ghana in the second leg fixture at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, on Tuesday.
Former Nigeria captain, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha is confident the Super Eagles now have a better chance of qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar with the goaless draw against Ghana on Friday.
According to Okocha credit should be given to the Super Eagles for their impressive display against Ghana. We could not separate both teams because nobody wanted to lose the game.
“We must give credit to the players considering the fact that they have given themselves a good chance of qualifying for the 2022 World Cup,” Okocha said on Supersports”.
Former Super Eagles player, Daniel Amokachi gave his verdict on the penalty incident during the game.
The penalty call was reversed by the Moroccan referee, Redouane Jiyed after a handball by Baba in the 76th minute, Jiyed, however, was advised to check the VAR monitor on the side of the pitch and he changed his initial decision after spotting a foul by Kelechi Iheanacho on the Ghanaian, prior to him handling the ball in the box.
Amokachi believes that it would have been a stonewall penalty if Iheanacho had not pushed Baba in the build-up, insisting that the referee made the right call.
“When the referee was called back to look at the monitor, we knew it was going to be disallowed. That’s when I saw the trip,” Amokachi said on SuperSport along with Austin Okocha and John Paintsil of Ghana.
Ghana and Nigeria’s World Cup hopes remain in the balance as they rekindle their quest in Abuja on Tuesday.
An estimated 300 people have been killed in an attack on a theatre sheltering civilians in the besieged port city of Mariupol.
Petr Andryuschenko, advisor to the mayor of Mariupol, released the figures in an interview with the BBC.
The attack is believed to have caused the worst known loss of life in a single strike since the invasion began.
Communication with Mariupol remains difficult so it is hard to independently verify information.
Russia has denied carrying out the attack, which has been widely condemned.
At the time of the strike, the word ‘children’ had been written in giant letters on the ground outside the theatre building in the centre of the city.
In the wake of the attack, both Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukrainian foreign minister, and the city council accused Russia of committing a war crime.
The BBC spoke to survivors of the bombing who described mothers searching for their children under the rubble, and a five-year-old child screaming that he did not want to die.
Mr Andryuschenko told the BBC’s Newshour programme that 600 people were inside the building before the attack, with about 300 of these in a basement shelter.
He said officials were able to check the death toll because they had a record of who was in the theatre before the missile strike and had spoken to survivors.
The authorities had not been able to start a rescue operation because of street fighting and continued Russian shelling nearby.
Earlier, Mariupol city hall cited a similar death toll in a Telegram post.
“From eyewitnesses, information is emerging that about 300 people died in the Drama Theatre of Mariupol following strikes by a Russian aircraft,” officials wrote.
Mr Andryuschenko also confirmed that fighting was continuing in the middle of the city, but insisted that Russian forces had not yet managed to take control of the city.
The port city of Mariupol is key to Russia’s military campaign. If it falls, it would give Russia control of one of Ukraine’s biggest ports and create a land corridor between Crimea and the Russian-backed regions of Luhansk and Donetsk.
The Qatar FIFA 2022 World Cup Africa Playoff between the Blackstars of Ghana and the Super Eagles of Nigeria takes centre stage tonight, at Baba Yara Stadium,Kumasi.
This can be best described as ‘The Clash of the Titans’
As much as the Eagles are bent on securing victory tonight against the Blackstars,we should not forget that in the last four meetings of both countries,Ghana has edged over Nigeria since 2006.
The Super Eagles will head into the game seeking to get one over their West African counterparts and strengthen their qualification chances.
Match Preview
Ghana endured an underwhelming campaign at the Africa Cup of Nations, where they suffered a shock group-stage exit after picking up just one point from three games in Group C.
Having lost 1-0 against Morocco in their opening game, the Black Stars played out a 1-1 draw with Gabon in their second outing before suffering a disappointing 3-2 defeat at the hands of debutants Comoros in the group finale.
Ghana is now set to quickly put that poor performance behind them as they turn their sights to the World Cup qualifying playoffs, where they have been drawn against West African rivals Nigeria after narrowly clinching first place in Group G of the qualifiers.
Having picked up 10 points from their opening five games, Otto Addo’s men needed all three points in their final group game against South Africa on November 14 to progress to the next phase of the qualifiers.
While Ghana will be looking to pick up where they dropped off in their bid for a place in Qatar, they have struggled in recent outings, losing three and claiming one draw from their most recent four games.
TEAM NEWS
The Super Eagles undoubtedly have the best attack on the continent, with Eguavoen able to add Leicester City winger Ademola Lookman and Watford’s star man Emmanuel Dennis to a side that already have tremendous firepower in Napoli star striker Victor Osimhen, 2019 Afcon goal-king Odion Ighalo, and Almeria’s Umar Sadiq.
In the Midfield, Wilfred Ndidi is out due to injury, first-choice goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has been replaced after testing positive for COVID-19, while Everton’s Alex Iwobi is suspended.
There is huge concern in the Eagles’ defence as key men William Troost-Ekong, Kenneth Omeruo, and Ola Aina arrived camp in varying degrees of match fitness.
Ghana are not without their issues as well, with Andre Ayew’s suspension and Kamaldeen Sulemana’s injury two huge blows for their country.
Coach Adoo has called up 27 players, including Arsenal star Thomas Partey, Leicester City’s Daniel Amartey, and Bochum forward Christopher Antwi-Adjei.
There could be maiden appearances for AS Roma’s youngster Felix Afena-Gyan and former Belgium youth international defender Denis Odoi, with the duo getting their first invitations.
HEAD -TO- HEAD
Ghana have dominated the head-to-head statistics against Nigeria, winning 21 games, drawing 18, and losing only 10.
The Super Eagles enjoyed a brilliant 12-year unbeaten run over the Black Stars, though, between 1994 and 2006, losing none of nine games, including five wins. But Ghana have won three and drawn one of the last four matches between the two countries.
Both are evenly matched during FIFA World Cup qualifiers, though, registering two wins, four draws, and two losses each.
Nigeria having failed to win any of the last four meetings between the sides since 2006, the Super Eagles will head into the game seeking to get one over their West African counterparts and strengthen their qualification chances.
Match Preview
Ghana endured an underwhelming campaign at the Africa Cup of Nations, where they suffered a shock group-stage exit after picking up just one point from three games in Group C.
Having lost 1-0 against Morocco in their opening game, the Black Stars played out a 1-1 draw with Gabon in their second outing before suffering a disappointing 3-2 defeat at the hands of debutants Comoros in the group finale.
Ghana will now look to quickly put that poor run behind them as they turn their sights to the World Cup qualifying playoffs, where they have been drawn against West African rivals Nigeria after narrowly clinching first place in Group G of the qualifiers.
Having picked up 10 points from their opening five games, Otto Addo’s men needed all three points in their final group game against South Africa on November 14 to progress to the next phase of the qualifiers.
Former Swansea City man Andre Ayew was calm under pressure as he converted his 33rd-minute penalty to send Ghana top of the group, leapfrogging the Bafana Bafana on goal difference, and into the playoffs.
While Ghana will be looking to pick up where they dropped off in their bid for a place in Qatar, they have struggled to get going in recent outings, losing three and claiming one draw from their most recent four games.
Team news
The Super Eagles undoubtedly have the best attack on the continent, with Eguavoen able to add Leicester City winger Ademola Lookman and Watford’s star man Emmanuel Dennis to a side that already possesses tremendous firepower in Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, 2019 Afcon goal-king Odion Ighalo, and Almeria’s Umar Sadiq.
Midfield dynamo Wilfred Ndidi, however, misses out due to injury, while first-choice goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has been replaced after testing positive for COVID-19. Everton’s Alex Iwobi is suspended.
There are also concerns in the Eagles’ defence as key men William Troost-Ekong, Kenneth Omeruo, and Ola Aina arrived camp in varying degrees of match fitness.
Ghana are not without their issues as well, with Andre Ayew’s suspension and Kamaldeen Sulemana’s injury two huge blows for their country.
Still, coach Adoo has called up 27 players, including Arsenal star Thomas Partey, Leicester City’s Daniel Amartey, and Bochum forward Christopher Antwi-Adjei.
There could be maiden appearances for AS Roma’s youngster Felix Afena-Gyan and former Belgium youth international defender Denis Odoi, with the duo earning their first invitations.
Abuja – The tripartite House of Representatives Committees on Aviation, Commerce and Human Rights investigating the unprecedented flight delays and cancellations in recent times have identified lack of collaboration and coordination among the various stakeholders as major contributory factors to the problems. At the investigative hearing coordinated by the Aviation Committee Chairman, Honourable Nnolin Nnaji, it was decided that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA) headed by Captain Musa Nuhu, and the service providers, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA) as well as the handling companies should meet with airlines and come up with a well thought out plans on how to address the issue. The Chairman of the United Nigeria Airlines, Dr Obiora Okonkwo had earlier painted a gloomy pictures of how the cumulative loss of times ranging from ticketing canters to the congestion at the aircraft parking area, the apron, delay in start up permit from the control tower and the congestion at the taxi way before take off as part of the challenges pushing up the delays. He stated that “once the flight is delayed in take off at any schedule it leads to the delay in the next leg of the operation and that’s how it builds up”. The United Nigeria Airlines Chairman further listed the general poor airports’ infrasture, inadequate handling equipment at some airports and the problems of weather as well as closure of airspace during very important personality, (VIP) movements as part of the contributory factors to the flight delays. Dr Okonkwo also pointed out that most of the airports the domestic airlines operate into were designated visual flights aerodromes, (VFR) which means that you have to operate to such airports before sunset adding that,, ” once you can’t take off and land at such airports before 6:30 pm you have to cancel the operation “. The chairman of Air Peace, Chief Allen Onyema also speaking along same line stated that because of the visual fight rule, the airlines were constrained to twelve hours use of an airplane in a day instead of eighteen hours adding that, “what it means is that an operator who leased an aircraft for his operations is already losing from take off”. Chief Onyema added that if majority of the airport could be opened to traffic at least up to midnight, it would offer the operators better utilisation of the aircraft stating that with such development, an aeroplane could be deployed to operations for up to eighteen hours par day. The Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority, (FAAN), Captain Rabiu Yadudu who acknowledged that the industry was encountering infractural gap noted that such was not enough to justify delays of up to two to three hours and above which the airlines had in recent times subjected passengers to. He disclosed that the authority has begun to expand the aprons at the general aviation terminals in Lagos and Abuja to address the issue of congestion and promised to collaborate with sister agencies and the airlines as directed by the committee to see how the problems of delays could be tackled . Honourable Nnaji noted that the industry was pivotal to the development of the national economy and stressed the need for the Federal Government to invest more in aviation so that many more airports could operate beyond sunset ( beyond 6 pm).
Abuja (Precise Post) – It has been established that after the National Convention of the All Progressive Congress (APC) which holds on 26 March, a full media structure for the party will be unveiled in Abuja.
The media structure which is part of the ongoing plans to project the ruling party positively in the minds of all Nigerians, both home and abroad, will see the unbundled and unveiling of APC online newspaper, http://www.apcnewsonline.ng, which is being test-run in the last 18 months and the APC News Studio temporarily located at Suite 6, Barcelona Hotel, by APC National Headquarters on Blantyre Street, Wuse 2 Abuja.
This much was disclosed by the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of APC Online News, Tom Ohikere, during the inaugural meeting of the Board of Directors held in Maitama, Abuja on Tuesday.
According to Ohikere, “it is pertinent to note that we have reached an advanced stage in our plan to establish a full-fledged Radio/Television station in Abuja which would house all the existing APC news online structures for the purpose of promoting and protecting the political integrity of the progressives. Our technical partners and consultants have made tremendous progress and technical submissions are enclosed in your files for this meeting.
“We are presently ready to take the media landscape by storm with informative and educative programmes as there will be so much to learn and information to accumulate about the All Progressives Congress since 2015. We are very prepared to be the news community and aggregators of APC News across the world.
“We are also endowed with the involvement of technocrats like Alhaji Lawal Ado who is the former Editor in Chief of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mallam Sani Suleiman, the former Director of news of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Hon Ini Akpan Morgan who is the head of the APC Nigeria Diaspora Desk at the APC headquarters and Barr. Olakunle Ehinlanwo, a consummate process consultant and a community mobilizer.
“We are set to carry the nation along history lane, analyzing the past, present and projecting the future of the All Progressives Congress.
“With eminent Nigerians such as Engr. Sani Ndanusa, a public servant par excellence and a former minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Usman Abubakar (a.k.a. Young Alhaji) a renowned businessman and staunch supporter of APC, and Otunba Abayomi Odunowo, a Chief Strategist and tactician of international repute, we will leverage on their goodwill for relevant contacts and patronage.
“With all these arrays of distinguished Nigerians, APC News Online will definitely change the political milieu that it has found itself, and once again become the darling of the electorates,” Ohikere added.
Madeleine Albright, the first woman to serve as U.S. secretary of state, has died, her family said in a statement on Wednesday. She was 84.
Then-President Bill Clinton named Albright U.S. ambassador to the United Nations shortly after he was inaugurated in 1993, and nominated her as secretary of state three years later. She served in the post for four years, actively promoting the expansion of NATO and military intervention in Kosovo.
In 2012, then-President Barack Obama awarded Albright the Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor.
A senior NATO military officer said Wednesday that the alliance believes between 7,000 and 15,000 Russian troops have been killed in the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The military officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, according to the Associated Press, said the estimate of the number killed is based on a combination of information from the Ukrainian government, indications from Russia, and open-source information.
The officer added that an estimate of 30,000 to 40,000 Russian casualties overall is derived from what he called a standard calculation that in war an army suffers three wounded soldiers for every soldier killed.
The casualties include killed in action and wounded in action, as well as those taken prisoner or missing in action, the officer said.
Nigeria’s squad for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 playoff battle with Ghana on Tuesday have started their preparations in the Federal Capital, Abuja ahead of departure to Kumasi on Thursday.
Three time African champions Nigeria and four time African champions Ghana, will battle each other at the 40,000 capacity Baba Yara Stadium Kumasi on Friday evening, in the first leg of the Playoff fixtures, where both teams will battle for a single ticket to the 22nd FIFA World Cup finals.
At lunchtime on Tuesday, 18 of the 25 invited players have arrived at The Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments, while Five players are being expected on Tuesday evening, with only Leicester City of England playmaker Ademola Lookman and new invitee John Noble expected on Wednesday morning.
Friday’s encounter in Kumasi will be the 58th clash between the two countries’ senior teams, with 18 of those matches having ended in draws.
The first encounter took place on 20th October 1951, with Nigeria emerging victorious 5-0.
The last time both teams got involved in a FIFA World Cup qualifying fixture was in 2001, in a quest for a spot at the Korea/Japan 2002 finals.
The opening leg at the Accra Sports Stadium ended in a 0-0 draw before Nigeria won the return 3-0 inside the Liberation Stadium in Port Harcourt on 29th July 2001.
Their last meeting, in a friendly match that was staged in London on 11th October 2011, ended 0-0.
Captain Ahmed Musa and deputy captain William Ekong are among the 18 players who are already in camp for the two big games.
Meanwhile, Super Eagles goalkeeper Maduka Okoye is currently sick and that has prompted Coach Augustine Eguavoen to extend invitation to Enyimba FC goalkeeper John Noble to join the squad.
Already in camp are: William Troost Ekong, Leon Balogun, Oluwasemilogo Ajayi, Olaoluwa Aina, Frank Onyeka, Odion Ighalo, Daniel Akpeyi, Ahmed Musa, Oghenekaro Etebo, Kelechi Iheanacho, Abdullahi Shehu, Francis Uzoho, Moses Simon, Emmanuel Dennis, Joseph Ayodele-Aribo, Calvin Bassey, Innocent Bonke, Kenneth Omeruo
Expected on Tuesday evening are: Zaidu Sanusi, Akinkunmi Amoo, Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Osimhen, Sadiq Umar
While Ademola Lookman and John Noble will join the team on Wednesday
A look at NIGERIA VS GHANA in History
20 0ct 1951 (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 5 Ghana 0
11 Oct 1953 (Jalco Cup): Ghana 1 Nigeria 0
30 Oct 1954 (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 3 Ghana 0
30 Oct 1955 (Jalco Cup): Ghana 7 Nigeria 0
27 Oct 1956 (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 3 Ghana 0
27 Oct 1957 (Jalco Cup): Ghana 3 Nigeria 3
25 Oct 1958 (Jalco Cup): Nigeria 3 Ghana 2
10 Oct 1959 (Olympics Qualifier): Nigeria 3 Ghana 1
26 Oct 1959 (Olympics Qualifier): Ghana 4 Nigeria 1
22 Nov 1959 (Jalco Cup): Ghana 5 Nigeria 2
28 Aug 1960 (WC Qualifier): Ghana 4 Nigeria 1
10 Sep 1960 (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 2 Ghana 2
9 Oct 1960 (Nkrumah Cup): Nigeria 0 Ghana 3
29 Oct 1960 (Zik Cup): Nigeria 1 Ghana 1
8 Apr 1961 (AFCON Qualifier): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0
30 Apr 1961 (AFCON Qualifier): Ghana 2 Nigeria 2
17 Dec 1961 (Friendly): Ghana 5 Nigeria 1
10 Nov 1962 (Friendly): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0
23 Feb 1963 (Nkrumah Cup); Ghana 5 Nigeria 0
30 Oct 1965 (Zik Cup): Nigeria 0 Ghana 4
7 Nov 1965 (Zik Cup): Ghana 3 Nigeria 0
23 Jan 1967 (Zik Cup): Nigeria 2 Ghana 2
12 Feb 1967 (Zik Cup): Ghana 2 Nigeria 0
22 Oct 1967 (Zik Cup): Ghana 2 Nigeria 1
23 Dec 1967 (Zik Cup): Nigeria 2 Ghana 2
10 May 1969 (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 2 Ghana 1
18 May 1969 (WC Qualifier): Ghana 1 Nigeria 1
8 Jan 1973 (All-Africa Games): Nigeria 4 Ghana 2
10 Feb 1973 (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 2 Ghana 3 – abandoned, match awarded 2-0 to Ghana
25 Feb 1973 (WC Qualifier): Ghana 0 Nigeria 0
11 Aug 1974 (Festival): Nigeria 1 Ghana 0
17 Aug 1974 (Festival): Nigeria 0 Ghana 1
24 Aug 1975 (Festival): Ghana 1 Nigeria 2
30 Aug 1975 (Festival): Ghana 3 Nigeria 0
4 Sep 1977 (Ecowas Cup): Nigeria 2 Ghana 1
8 Mar 1978 (AFCON): Ghana 1 Nigeria 1
21 July 1978 (All-Africa Games): Ghana 0 Nigeria 0
1 May 1983 (ECA Anniversary): Ghana 1 Nigeria 0
15 Oct 1983 (Olympics Qualifier): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0
30 Oct 1983 (Olympics Qualifier): Ghana 1 Nigeria 2
5 Mar 1984 (AFCON): Ghana 1 Nigeria 2
27 July 1986 (Friendly): Ghana 2 Nigeria 0
2 Sep 1990 (AFCON Qualifier): Ghana 1 Nigeria 0
13 Apr 1991 (AFCON Qualifier): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0
23 Jan 1992 (AFCON): Ghana 2 Nigeria 1
9 Mar 1994 (Friendly): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0
28 Aug 1999 (Friendly): Nigeria 0 Ghana 0
11 Mar 2001 (WC Qualifier): Ghana 0 Nigeria 0
29 July 2001 (WC Qualifier): Nigeria 3 Ghana 0
3 Feb 2002 (AFCON): Ghana 0 Nigeria 1
15 Dec 2002 (Friendly): Ghana 0 Nigeria 1
30 May 2003 (LG Cup): Nigeria 3 Ghana 1
23 Jan 2006 (AFCON): Ghana 0 Nigeria 1
6 Feb 2007 (Friendly): Ghana 4 Nigeria 1
3 Feb 2008 (AFCON): Ghana 2 Nigeria 1
28 Jan 2010 (AFCON): Ghana 1 Nigeria 0
11 Oct 2011 (Friendly): Ghana 0 Nigeria 0
The Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup Playoff comes up on 25th March in Kumasi Ghana while the return leg will take place in Abuja on 29th March.
FCT (Abuja) – The Senate, will tomorrow, Wednesday, March 23, 2022, consider a motion to discuss the recent judgment by a Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, nullifying the provisions of Section 84(12) of the newly amended Electoral Act 2022 passed by the National Assembly.
Justice Evelyn Anyadike, in a judgment, held that the Section of the Act was “unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null, void and of no effect whatsoever and ought to be struck down as it cannot stand when it is in violation of the clear provisions of the Constitution.”
Consequently, the court ordered the Attorney General of the Federation to “forthwith delete the said Subsection 12 of Section 84 from the body of the Electoral Act.”
Justice Anyadike in the Suit FHC/UM/CS/26/2022 held that Sections 66(1), 107(1)(f) of the 1999 Constitution already stipulated that appointees of government seeking to contest elections were only to resign at least 30 days to the date of the election.
According to her, any other law that mandate such appointees to resign or leave the office at any time before that was unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null and void to the extent of its inconsistency to the clear provisions of the Constitution.
However, coming under order 42 of the Senate Standing Orders on Personal Explanation, Senator George Thompson Sekibo (PDP, Rivers East) during plenary, challenged the judgment of the court on Section 84(12).
Citing Section 4 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended, Sekibo stated that the National Assembly is empowered by virtue of Its provisions to make laws for the peace, order and good governance of Nigeria.
He added that Section 228 lists such functions to include making laws to ensure internal democracy within political parties.
The section provides in part that, “the National Assembly may by law provide guidelines and rules to ensure internal democracy within political parties, including making laws for the conduct of party primaries, party congresses and party conventions; and the conferment on the Independent National Electoral Commission of powers as may appear to the National Assembly to be necessary or desirable for the purpose of enabling the Commission more effectively to ensure that political parties observe the practices of internal democracy, including the fair and transparent conduct of party primaries, party congresses and party conventions.”
He argued further that the provisions of Section 318 of the 1999 Constitution clearly defines who a public servant is, without including political appointees.
“I don’t have anything against the Judge, but Mr. President, what is relied on in the judgment is not in tandem with the interpretation of the Constitution.
“The Constitution defines for us who is a civil servant and who is a public servant. It does not include political appointees.
“More so, Section 4 gives us the power to make good laws, and in our mind, any law we make here is good law.
“Section 228 gives us also the power to make certain laws to guard the Independent National Electoral Commission to effectively discharge its functions.
“We felt that Section 84(12) as enshrined in the Electoral Act assented to, is for the interest of the people and country.
“I don’t think that somebody should go to court without joining the Senate or the House of Representatives where this law emanated from, because we are the origin of the law before the President assented to it.
“If you think it is faulty, you either take us to court and make us part of that case. We did not know, we were not told and they just went there and got a judgment, destroying our work for over one year as of no one here has the head to do any good thing”, Sekibo said.
The Deputy Senate President, thereafter, put the question for a motion to be brought to the floor during plenary on Wednesday.
The voice vote received the overwhelming support of lawmakers for the motion to be considered.
Omo-Agege, explained that his decision for the motion to be considered on Wednesday, was to allow Senators absent during Tuesday’s plenary to make their contributions when the matter is taken up by the chamber.
….Argues PDP Remains Best Option for Ndigbo if left out in power equation
FCT (Abuja) – A former member of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, has called on Igbo leaders across political divides to urgently convoke a summit of Ndigbo, if the zone is not to be left outside the power loop for yet another eight years.
“The eight years of the current All Progressives Congress, APC-led federal government – most of which the Igbo spent lamenting its near obliteration from the country’s power calculus – is gradually coming to an end, yet there is neither an indication that the situation would be redressed, nor is there a concerted attempt by Ndigbo to avert a repeat of the status quo,” Hon. Ogene said in statement released today.
A chieftain of the APC, Hon. Ogene who served as Director, Media and Publicity in the Party’s 2021 gubernatorial campaigns in Anambra State, stated that “it was particularly irksome that in the clamour for the rotation of the presidential stool to the South, APC leaders appear to have deliberately refrained from specifically zoning the position to the South East, in the spirit of equity, fairness, good conscience and precedent.
“For those who are wont to hide under a finger, by citing the less than admirable acceptance of the party in the region, providence and precedent offers a simple answer: there once was a President who emerged in spite of electoral rejection by his ward, local government, state and region.
“Now that Ndigbo find themselves in similar situation, why would the rules of engagement change suddenly? Are the power brokers who despite everything else resolved the 1999 quagmire in favour of the preservation of national unity no longer alive to apply the same balm of inclusivity in order to accommodate Ndigbo?
“Today’s APC stands in the gap as the behemoth People’s Democratic Party, PDP at the time it took the largely unpopular but historic decision to support a candidate from the South West to emerge as President. With a country bursting at the seams by feelings of alienation, wouldn’t an affirmative action initiative offer some form of panacea, if not outright healing, for the many disparate agitators who struttle the landscape?
“For every cursory observer of the ferocious politicking currently going on in the APC, however, it would be akin to wanting the sun to stand still, should one crave a Presidential ticket from the party for a South Easterner.
“Speaking realistically, once the position is zoned to the South and a candidate emerges from either the South West or South South, that forecloses the possibility of getting a Vice Presidential slot for Ndigbo. And in the event that the Party triumphs in the 2023 election, its exclusion from the power loop would be stretched by another eight years.
“This, therefore, is a wake-up call on all Igbo leaders of note to gird their loins and seek negotiations and accommodation for the greater political interest of the South East.
“Not too long ago, Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, in a barely disguised pursuit of personal interest, left the PDP for the APC, on the excuse that Ndigbo won’t be available for a Vice Presidential slot under the PDP. Today, with the possibility of getting even that in the APC a mirage, Igbo leaders, including Umahi, may well begin to positively reconsider that offer – unless, of course, if the APC weans itself off it’s seeming anti-Igbo stance and do what is right.
“In deed, let’s face it, the only reason former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo are considered serious contenders for the Presidency is their hands-on experience on the top job, as former and sitting Vice Presidents.
“In deed, with the APC almost certainly going South, and the PDP, North, Ndigbo ought to commence an urgent process of political re-engineering – one which would attract greater political capital for the people of the region.
“Only two days ago, in a unique display of brinkmanship, three aspiring presidential candidates of the PDP met and resolved to forge a common front through a consensus agreement. A close look at the dramatis parsonae involved in the consensus talks would easily reveal that besides personal ambition, what is at stake is the greater interest of the entire North.
“With Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal(North west), Bala Mohammed(North east), and former Senate President, Bukola Saraki(North central), leading the charge, anyone with a mere passing interest in Nigerian politics would understand that the presidential train is about leaving the station.
“In deed, I can vouchsafe that the Sokoto State Governor, Tambuwal, widely acknowledged as the ‘Unifier,’ is a true friend of Ndigbo, and would not let people of the area down in the current permutations.
“While 2023 may appear to be a long shot in the presidential quest of the South East, 2031 would certainly not be – especially if it forms part of the demands in the negotiations leading up to the emergence of presidential candidates, and ultimately the country’s next president.”
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