In the first part of this writing, I looked at the imperativeness of the South-east people to go all out and vote for individuals who are passionate about the rebirth of the region and the Igbo land in general irrespective of the party; big or small.
Here, we look at how the region should vote for the presidential election.
After submitting the region’s loyalty to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for 24 years, the party played the region by not zoning the presidency to them. It is also that the party made sure that the region did not get near the presidency except for appointments or in the National Assembly. Aftermath of the primaries, saw a region angry and despise the party for such relegation.
Regardless of what happened and the politics of the zoning and the primaries that got the presidential candidate and his vice, the region has been placed in a situation that their loyalty to the party should be questioned, rebuked and reversed.
As the politics raged, the former governor of Anambra state, Mr. Peter Obi pulled out and joined the Labour party where at the moment has garnered momentum and instilled hope for a better tomorrow among Nigerians.
But, some of the fine politicians whose names often come to mind from the region are pitching their tent under the PDP’s umbrella. While at that, they are blackmailing the region for making the mistake of failing to read the time as to them, it is a waste of time to pull their loyalty out of the party. They think that the region which is their stronghold should not pull their votes otherwise, the ruling party will return to power. These politicians think that Mr. Peter Obi and Labour Party will not be able to dislodge the ruling party and as such will deprive the PDP the needed force with its national spread to return to power.
Not only that, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) which controls only Anambra state, became jittery that the wave of the Labour party will stifle the party. They also conducted their primaries and got a presidential candidate making the state field two presidential candidates.
The governors in the ruling party have also pledged their states will vote for the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Read Also: How South-east should vote in 2023 elections
Nigeria has not been working and in the last seven years, it has not worked for many Nigerians. There is apprehension in the country for the return of the ruling party that brought untold hardship in the lives of many and whose candidate is frail or the PDP which was sacked for their impunity in governance.
Nigerians have solace that there is an alternative for them to exercise their power and ability to snatch power from the established political class under whose actions and watch, got the country near to its knees.
As people have the liberty and right to the choices they make, but such choices should be made with clarity and collective interest.
Many South-east and Igbo people in general are campaigning for the candidates irrespective of some of the already mentioned gray areas. After all, the region should not ‘pack their eggs in one basket.’
As the Nigerian people clamour to contest the election through the Labour Party and Peter Obi, the South-east should not misread the time and act otherwise.
The quest for a new Nigeria must not be lost in the political miscalculated choices of the politicians who will try to influence the electorates through the instruments of rigging while utilising hunger as a tool. And the region must not also see the momentum only in the spirit of bandwagon.
The region should vote in 2023 based on their conviction that the leading candidate who comes from among them, will work for the people. It is for a new Nigeria indeed.
The region should vote in order to show full support and go all out to make a convincing record with their votes. They should shun any blackmail and respond resoundingly with their votes.
This is a time to show a region that is politically alive.
As the people’s movement continues to gather steam and permeate across the country, the South-east should not be found lost in the movement.