by SMART OFUGARA
For almost sixty two years, we have fought, we have celebrated, we have marginalized, we have schemed, we have established hierarchy.
Piloting this nation since independence in October, 1960 are the following citizens and the regions they hail from with the unity of the nation at heart.
Nnamdi Azikiwe-East
Tafawa Balewa-North
Aguyui Ironsi-East
Yakubu Gowon-North
Murtala Mohammed-North
Olusegun Obasanjo-West
Shehu Shagari-North
Muhammad Buhari-North
Ibrahim Babangida-North
Ernest Shonekan-West
Sanni Abacha-North
Abdusalami Abubakar-North
Olusegun Obasanjo-West
Umaru ya Adua-North
Goodluck Jonathan- South
Muhammad Buhari-North
We have failed, we have told lies, we have built, we have pretended to maintain, we have borrowed and we have wasted.
We have celebrated successes and mediocrity, we have planned and deliberately unplanned, we have initiated solid structures only to establish unsustainable structures.
We have contributed to foreign growth and development only at our own detriment.
We have successfully established an unsustainable environment thereby establishing deliberate migration, only to celebrate the successes recorded by their new countries, saying he is our son and daughter with little or no beneficial allegiance to the motherland.
Yet we are one nation and have chosen to remain one.
The workings of government and its operators have been consolidated with its dominance of the northern and western indigenes with limited collaboration by the east and to an extent the south.
Yes, if you do know what I am referring to here, I will ask you to come up with the statistics of tribes in the military, Air Force, Navy, police, customs, immigration, and civil service hierarchies.
In all of these structures, the east is sparsely represented.
Pushed by the reality of the Nigerian civil war between 1967-1970, the Easterners have a very limited taste of the presidency.
Apart from the insignificant ceremonial role of Nnamdi Azikwe and interregnum of January 1966-July 1966 of General Aguiyi Ironsi, the easterners have not held the office of presidency.
The question now is what has the Eastern part of the country done to be prevented from getting it?
Is it that they are not as ingenious as the other regions?
They have carved a niche as manufacturers, traders and business owners.
They have been creative in instituting self help projects such as provision of water, health care, road development to assist the ecological problems of erosion.
They have established cottage industries and assembled plants.
They have positioned their region as the go-to area for goods that are demanded by other regions.
They started the mass transport, otherwise known as the luxury bus travel system in the country.
These people are good!
They believe in the country!
They migrate to other regions, create wealth, buy lands, build houses and establish businesses.
They call wherever they live, home. They invest there and mix with the indigenes and even go as far as learning their language.
We have come too far to continue in this distrust and reserving the position of the Vice President for the East.
In my opinion, they deserve the presidency.
In modern times, the few indigenes of Eastern extraction who held leadership positions have left their mark of excellence.
From banking reform, Nafdac regulatory roles, finance accountability of revenue generation to savings of foreign exchange and shoring up the strength of the Naira before this free fall which we now experience as a nation.
Going further, the only governor to leave money at the end of his term for the incoming administration and not to be harassed by the EFCC or the inept court injunctions from investigations is Governor Peter Obi.
Peter Obi deserves to be the president of this federation called Nigeria.
He is educated, he has banking and private sector experience. He is familiar with the constitution and the workings of government.
He is in tune with modern reality. He has made a name for himself not by government patronage.
He knows how to relate and negotiate governance at all levels.
He deserves a chance to lead as age, exposure, experience, integrity and accountability are on his side.
He is not a narrow minded individual. He believes in the unity of this nation called Nigeria.
Check out the list of all the leaders whether in military uniforms or civilian dresses, none has the pedigree of Peter Obi.
Ethics has been questionable. Quota system has been embraced. Selfish desires rather than National drive have dominated their vision and goals.
The nation needs hope and the only one with the pedigree at this time is Peter Obi.
The fact that he stood and fought for his governorship election to a logical conclusion means that he is a fighter for what he believes in.
Google him, read about him, let’s give this gentleman the support needed to steer the ship of state in the right direction for the benefit of our dear nation and future generation.
Let’s rise above our narrow divide as a people. We have seen past political leaders and their cohorts.
It is time to turn a new leaf and give this nation its pride of place for employment, health care, diversification of the economy, infrastructure development, confidence of foreign investors, service delivery, agriculture and comparative development, expansion of our seaport beyond Lagos and an all inclusive government.
Peter Obi is the man of the moment.