OPINION: Why it is difficult for Igbo politicians to function well in APC

By Anayo Nwosu

I was very amused as I watched Adams Oshiomhole, the Chairman of APC reading riot acts to his party members and members-elect of the National Assembly.

He was dictating to them on how to elect their leaders in the national assembly. He ended by introducing the party's preference for the Senate President.

I know that Igbos in that meeting would have been sufficiently annoyed by the lordship of a human being in the person of Oshiomhole. It would be an eyesore to them as they were not used to such dictatorship at home.


Never!

Igbos don’t have kings in reality. Royal fathers in Igbo land are a creation of colonial masters used as vehicles for indirect rule and tax collections.

Decisions in Igbo communities are arrived at via consensus.

Igbo enwe eze!

One man or few individuals can't force down decisions on others. It could happen once but not on a regular basis.

Oshiomhole has not learnt anything after he had a spat with Dr. Chris Ngige who can win a medal in national competition on political abracadabra. Ngige defeated him and refused to be cowed.

APC appears owned by very few powerful people who give “democratic” instructions to other members who are supposed to be equals. They decide for them. Their narrow personal interests are promoted to become party interests.

APC works well in places where the people are used to an Oba or emir. Not in Igbo land where anyone can slap the Igwe or Obi and work away majestically. Every Igbo man is a king in his house.


Hence Igbos cannot begin to learn to take instruction from a “common” Oshiomhole be he the party chairman or an emperor.

Any party that is overly dictatorial cannot boast of good population of the real Igbo men of character. They can only have Igbos who are opportunists or contractors as members.

Oshiomhole should better watch out for Igbos in the National Assembly. Feeling hurt by utterances, they might work hard to ensure that Oshiomhole ends up feeling as estranged as he wishes the Igbos..

Does APC know that there is an Arthur Nzeribe in any Igbo man in APC. Many of them are Igbos’ contribution to national madness.


I must register my support that because the amount of the Igbo’s votes for PMB does not qualify it for any posts other than what they are constitutionally entitled to. I hope that Igbo legislators should also push that the areas that produce more appointees should also bring more revenues from taxes and resources they plan to manage or embezzle.

It is so funny that United Nations do not use popular votes to select permanent members of the Security Council. Nigeria's population is more than that of England and Britain who can veto any resolution from India with nearly 1 billion people.