•Nnia Nwodo
ENUGU – The President-General of Ohanaeze Worldwide, Chief Nnia Nwodo, has offered the explanations on the reasons Igbos supported Alhaji Atiku Abubakkar and Mr. Peter Obi in the last presidential election.
Speaking during an interactive session with journalists in Enugu on Wednesday, Chief Nwodo said that the preponderance of views among the Southerners, including the East was on the need for restructuring. He said that after extensive consultations with most of the presidential candidates, that it became clear that only Atiku had clear understanding and plans for restructuring. He said that since that was what Igbos wanted, that his responsibility was to voice it out and that that was what he exactly did.
Justifying the choice of the Igbos, he said that it was proved by the voting pattern. He also said that the same pattern could be observed in the South-South, while South-West that was affected by the fact that they had a Vice presidential candidate.
On what informed the protest of some Igbos when Atiku chose Obi as his running mate, he said that whatever those that protested gave as excuses were nullified by Obi’s towering personality. His words: “Peter Obi’s personal qualifications assailed those misgivings. Peter Obi as a governor is still arguably, in this generation of governance and since the advent of this constitution, the best.’
As a further proof of his assertion on Obi, he continued: “If you go to Anambra State you will see how Peter Obi has improved infrastructure in the state; you will see how Peter Obi attracted international financial organisations; how he increased human capital development, from Anambra becoming the best in external examinations; how he built savings as a bases towards building economic credibility for government to get financial empowerment from financial institutions; how he quickened the growth of agro-based industry; how he quickened the growth of assembly plant for vehicles have in Anambra State, God have mercy!
“Peter Obi is something to celebrate in Igbo land. Please do not diminish his accomplishments. He has a soft mien that does not shout to his abilities, but he has done well in the political arena.”
Decrying the fate of Igbos in Nigeria, Nwodu said it was bad that Government deals with real terrorist with kid’s gloves while turning around to hound IPOB members who, as far as I was concerned, were not terrorist, but those agitating for a better deal for their people.
On What keeps him moving in spite the risks, Nwodo said that he was not deterred and that the joy of serving the people would remain his strength. (News Express)