Why Igbos are not doing well in Nigerian politics

Governor Obiano of Anambra State has given reasons Igbos are not doing well in Nigerian politics.

He said that the people of the Southeast region preferred splitting themselves into smaller political parties instead coming together in a larger one.

Governor Obiano, who spoke with Sun, also said Igbos, owing over 70 per cent of the Nigerian economy are capable of leading the country but must come together and form a formidable entity.

According to him, “If we [Igbos] divide ourselves into small parts, they can never make a whole and that was why we have never done well in the Nigerian politics as Igbo, yet the Igbo today own over 70 per cent of the Nigerian economy, whether anybody likes it or not, that is the truth.

“However, most of these Igbo wealth are domiciled outside the South-east and the South-east remained backward in terms of infrastructure and self-sufficiency in food production; these are the things that Anambra State is trying to actualize.

“Not at all, if you observed Rochas Okorocha won the election to become governor under the platform of APGA before he jumped ship, then Alex Otti as far as I’m concerned won the Abia election and it was taken off him and Labaran Maku won the Nassarawa election and that was taken off him by the processes there; so we are looking good to doing well in the South-east purely on the performance of the state that APGA is controlling vis-à-vis what is happening in the other states.

“I don’t need to tell you this because you come from this South-east and you must have seen that the difference is clear. So, by the time we get good candidates certainly we will clinch the other states in the South-east purely because of the manifesto of our party coupled with the fact that credible people have worked with that manifesto which has led to growth and respect in Anambra State.

“So other people would like to be part of it. Not only that, the founding fathers of the party like the late Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu who then was the leader of APGA; I am now currently the leader, I have stepped into his big shoes, I am also the BoT chairman, if you look at the treatment perceived or otherwise that the Igbo have suffered in the polity called Nigeria, you will agree with me that the only way to march forward is that our sisters and brothers from the same bloc, we need to hold hands together; that is the only way anybody can take us seriously.

“So, an APGA government will really help in the industrialization of other states. So, I have no doubt that we are going to make resounding impact not only in the South-East but also beyond.”