2023 Power Rotation Inter-Ethnic Dialogue

Venue: Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka, Anambra State Date: Tuesday 4th January, 2022; Time: 10:00am – 4:30pm

Theme: Exclusion of Igbos from Presidential Leadership since 1999 and the Need for 2023 Igbo Presidency as a Critical Factor for National Unity and Ethno-Political Reconciliation.

Key Conference Officials and Special Guests:

Chief Host: Prof.Uche Azikiwe (Wife of Nnamdi Azikiwe);The Great ZIK of AfricaNigeria’s Founding Father
Distinguished Guests of Honour:
Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Leader of the Yoruba Nation and Afenifere Group; Chief Edwin Clark, OFR, CON, National Leader of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF); His Excellency, Dan Suleiman, Former Military Governor of Plateau State and Chairman of Middle Belt Elders Forum (MBEF); Dr Kunle Olajide, Secretary-General, Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE)
Co-Hosts: Dr Nwachukwu Anakwenze (Onowu of Abagana) and US-based Frontline Physician, President, Igbo World Assembly (IWA); Prof Anthony Ejiofor, Top Instructor at Tennessee State University (USA) and President of World Igbo Congress (WIC).

Distinguished Guests of Honour: Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, GCO, Former Nigeria’s Vice President; Chief (Sir) Emeka Anyaoku, CFR, Former Commonwealth Secretary-General; His Grace,Archbishop Valerian Okeke, Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha; His Grace, Archbishop Emmanuel Chukwuma, Anglican Archbihop of Enugu Province of the Church of Nigeria; His Excellency, Arc (Obong) Victor Attah, CON, Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, BOT Co-Chair of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF); Dr Bitrus Pogu, Chairman, Middle Belt Forum (MBF); Senator Emmanuel Ibok-Essien, Chairman of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Former Deputy Chief Whip of the Nigerian Senate; His Excellency, Cornelius Adebayo, Former Governor of Kwara State, Ex-Minister of Communications and Former Senator; Chief Nnia Nwodo, Nigeria’s Former Transport Minister, Former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, National Coordinator of Southern and Middle Belt Forum (SMBF); His Excellency, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Former Governor of Anambra State; Her Excellency, Chief Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele, Former Deputy Governor of Lagos State; Her Excellency, Iyom Josephine Anenih, Nigeria’s Former Minister of Women Affairs; Prof Osita Nebo, Nigeria’s Former Minister of Power and
Past Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN); His Excellency, Dr Samuel Gani, Former Deputy Governor of Taraba State; His Excellency, Okwesilieze Nwodo, Former Governor of Enugu State; Prof Pat Utomi, Renowned Political Economist, International Polymath, Founding Instructor at Lagos Business School (LBS) and Founder of Centre for Values in Leadership (CVL); Dr Tanko Yunusa, Spokesperson of the National Consultative Front (NCF); Rt.Hon Jonathan Asake
President of Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU) and Former Member of House of Representatives; Chris Isiguzo,
National President of Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Many others not listed above.

Who Should Attend:
Leaders of Ethnic Nationalities; National Opinion Leaders and Notable Statesmen; Nigerian Leaders in Diaspora; Former and Current Political Officeholders; Top Religious Leaders; Key Leaders and Stakeholders of Political Parties; Top Officials of NBA and NUJ; Leaders of Foremost Youth Organizations and Women Groups; Pro-Democracy NGOs and CSOs; Representatives of Foreign Diplomatic Corps
Introduction:

Since the inception of Nigeria’s modern democracy in 1999, the “Hausas” and the “Yorubas” have both produced presidents and vice presidents, as two of Nigeria’s existing three major ethnic groups. But the “Igbos” have remained the only major ethnic group deprived of the opportunity to serve, either as president or vice president over the past 22 years. The marginalization of “Igbos”, both as a people and a geopolitical region, is indeed a deliberate act of political injustice and victimization, which must be addressed in 2023 for obvious reasons that are critical to Nigeria’s national unity, peace, ethno-regional integration and political survival.
In 2023, no other tribe or region but only the “Igbos” will truly deserve to produce the next president, especially in compliance with the existing agreement of rotational presidency, operational since 1999, which in 2023 will again be in favour of the “Igbos” and the southeast geopolitical zone, hinged on the moral need for political justice, equity and fairness. But how can we actualize Igbo presidency in 2023?

Over the past 22 years of Nigeria’s modern democracy, the “Yorubas” have produced Olusegun Obasanjo who led for 8 years as president and also Prof Yemi Osinbajo who is currently serving for 8 years as vice president. Likewise, the “Hausas” have produced two presidents (Musa Yar’Adual), who served for 3 years; Muhammadu Buhari who is presently undergoing two consecutive tenures of straight 8 years; Atiku Abubakar who serves as vice president for 8 years and Namadi Sambo, who served for 5 years. With these illustrations, it is undeniably obvious that the “Igbos”, being one of Nigeria’s three major ethnic group, is unjustly sidelined in presidential leadership by the other two – the “Hausas” and the “Yorubas”.

Aside from the above-indicated analysis, it is also on record that the present northern presidency led by Muhammadu Buhari has conspicuously marginalized the “Igbos” and southeast region far beyond human imagination. Under the Buhari-led northern presidency, none of the foremost key political offices, is headed by a Nigerian of Igbo extraction. As a result, Nigerians in their large numbers have regarded the chronic marginalization of “Igbos” in Buhari’s government, as a deliberate act of political victimization.

Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe (ZIK of Africa) and other elites of Igbo extraction were among the frontline nationalists who championed the struggle for Nigeria’s political independence and seeing the way Igbos are being treated today like political slaves or bastards, their bodies will not rest in their graves. During the anti-Abacha struggle for Nigeria’s return to civil rule in the nineties, prominent Igbos were among the key drivers of NADECO and other related civil movements. Igbos got themselves deeply involved, even to the extent of risking self-exile or jail terms and many of them were indeed victimized. After a vigorous struggle, democracy was eventually restored in 1999. Nigeria has recorded twenty two (22) years of unbroken civil rule and Igbos are still being discriminated and deprived of the opportunity to produce a president. This unfair treatment is really too sad!

Igbos are known to be the major drivers of the Nigerian economy and their business investments cuts across different sectors and all geopolitical regions. Having their businesses domiciled across all parts of the country, “Igbos” have demonstrated that they believe more in Nigeria’s unity than other ethnic groups. More than other ethnic groups, Igbos have made immeasurable contributions towards Nigeria’s economic development. Therefore, the recurring political victimization, discrimination and marginalization of Igbos, especially by the “fulanis” and other ruling elites of the core north, is indeed undeserved, most unfair and inhuman. As a way of compensation for their past and present losses, the 2023 presidential ticket should be unconditionally zoned to Igbos and the southeast region.

Background:
The body language of many northern ruling elites has clearly shown that the “Hausas” and the northern region still want to retain the presidential seat beyond 2023. Several northern elites have declared their interest to run for presidency in 2023 and these include Atiku Abubakar, Bukola Saraki, Aminu Tambuwal, Bala Muhammed, Yaya Bello, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Atiku Bagudu, Danjuma Goje, Ahmed Lawan and others. Also, some Yoruba elites, such as Bola Tinubu, Yemi Osinbajo, Kayode Fayemi and others, have publicly disclosed their intentions to contest for presidency in 2023. But they all seem not to have realized the fact that there is an existing presidential leadership rotation zoning arrangement which favours the “Igbos”, as the next to produce a president in 2023, in compliance with the moral principles of justice, equity and fairness.
Ahead of the 2023 presidential transition, Igbos must realize the critical need to decide their own fate by ensuring to undertake the efforts it requires to grab the presidential seat. Igbos will have to demonstrate capacity and readiness, if truly they want the 2023 presidential ticket zoned to them and the southeast. Gloria Steinem once rightly stated that “power can be taken, but not given”. Therefore, it is expected that neither the leaders of the “APC” nor the “PDP” will ordinarily be willing to zone the 2023 presidential ticket to the Igbos or the southeast, unless Igbo people are able to compel them by making a strong case for 2023 Igbo presidency and mounting the required pressure. But such a task will also require the goodwill and collaborative efforts of other ethnic groups and geopolitical regions which must be channeled through a national grassroots pro-Igbo political anti-marginalization movement. Consequently, the proposed “Justice4Igbos Movement” is being formed and will be launched during the forthcoming “2023 Power Rotation Inter-Ethnic Dialogue”, scheduled to hold on Tuesday 4th January, 2022 at the Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka, Anambra State. Time is 10:00am – 4:30pm.

Please note that the above-referred “2023 Power Rotation Inter-Ethnic Dialogue”, shall be hosted as a political forum of critical stakeholders uniquely created to engage participants in analyzing the unfair exclusion of Igbos from presidential leadership since the birth of Nigeria’s modern democracy in 1999 and the imperativeness of Igbo presidency in 2023, as a factor for national unity and ethno-political reconciliation, while also proffering a pragmatic roadmap for its actualization, especially the creation and public unveiling of “Justice4Igbos Movement”, which will serve as a solidarity channel for inter-ethnic collaborations in support of 2023 Igbo presidency. The official unveiling of the “Justice4Igbos Movement” shall be suitably performed by frontline nationalists, statesmen, patriots and democrats who are champions and advocates of political justice drawn across different ethnic nationalities and geopolitical regions, comprising the Afenifere Group, Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Southern and Middle Belt Forum (SMBF), Igbo World Assembly (IWA), Middle Belt Elders Forum (MBEF), World Igbo Congress (WIC), Council of Igbo States in Americas (CISA), European Igbo Community (EIC), Global Igbo Leaders (GIL) and Anioma World Assembly (AWA).
Others include Igbo General Assembly in Spain, Anambra State Association in Germany, Igbo Community in Russia, Igbo Union Finland, Igbo Union South Africa, Yoruba Council of Youths (YCY), Northern Youths for Good Governance (NYOGG), Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Itsekiri Youth Council, Urhobo Youth Council and many other ethnic organizations and pro-democracy groups.
Why Power Must Shift in 2023:
It is a fact that Nigeria adopted “rotational presidency” in 1999, as its model of equitable presidential leadership rotation, which makes it compulsory for the country’s northern and southern political regions, to hold and rotate presidential leadership, either for a single tenure of 4 years or double tenures of 8 years. This zoning and power rotation agreement has been operational since 1999 without compromise. In 2015, Buhari was elected president on the basis of “rotational presidency”. President Buhari is currently heading a northern presidency of two consecutive tenures of straight 8 years, which will elapse in 2023. Therefore, in 2023, power has to compulsorily rotate from the northern region to the southern region. It is not an issue for debate or further negotiations! It is a law which must be obeyed. Power shift in 2023 has become a critical necessity because of Nigeria’s unity, peace and ethno-political reconciliation! Power shift in 2023 is more than the greed of those unpatriotic politicians who are desperate to sacrifice the unity, peace and political well-being of Nigeria on the altar of their selfish political ambitions. It is all about the moral principles of justice, equity and fairness.
2023 Igbo Presidency Inter-Ethnic Solidarity Dialogue – About the Event:
The forthcoming “2023 Igbo Presidency Inter-Ethnic Solidarity Dialogue”, is solely designed to bring together foremost leaders of Nigeria’s key ethnic nationalities and other relevant political stakeholders, selected across the existing six geopolitical zones, being assembled for the purpose of engaging them, as critical stakeholders, in strategic etno-political conversations, whose objective is to analyze the ruthless marginalization of Igbos in presidential leadership since Nigeria’s dawn of modern democracy in 1999 and to also issue a collective statement on the inevitable necessity of Igbo presidency in 2023, as a factor for national unity and ethno-political reconciliation, while also proffering a pragmatic roadmap for its actualization, specifically the creation and public unveiling of “Justice4Igbos Movement”, which will serve as a solidarity medium of inter-ethnic collaborations for the pursuit and actualization of 2023 Igbo presidency. The event shall also provide a forum for the public unveling of a new youth-driven grassroots voters network, known as “Save Nigeria Voters Network” and the group is designed to serve as a national ballot revolution movement, ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The Goal:
“To create a non-partisan inter-ethnic political gathering of critical stakeholders, selected across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, who will represent politics, religion, business, academia, government, civil society, the diaspora community and other interest groups, being convened out of the efforts to undertake strategic deliberations, targeted towards analyzing the 22 years long marginalization of Igbos in presidential leadership and the necessity of Igbo presidency in 2023, as a critical factor for national unity, while also identifying the practical measures for the enforcement of north-to-south power shift in 2023, in line with the enforcement of justice, equity and fairness in presidential power rotation”

Post-Conference Stakeholders Engagement:
After the “Awka Inter-Ethnic Dialogue” of 4th Januray, 2022; the newly launched “Justice4Igbos Movement” will draw up and implement a pragmatic plan of action designed to include series of advocacies, media activism and non-violent protests entirely dedicated to bringing to the eye, knowledge and attention of the public, the age-long political victimization of Igbos and their obvious exclusion from presidential leadership since the beginning of the fourth republic in 1999, hinged on the purpose to attract the required sentiments which will compel the interest, support and solidarity of the public in defending a strong case for Igbo presidency in 2023, as compensation for the marginalization of Igbos in presidential leadership since Nigeria’s past 22 years of unbroken civil rule.
About “Justice4Igbos Movement”:
Justice4Igbos Movement is a national grassroots pro-Igbo political anti-marginalization movement created to serve as a multi-ethnic networking platform of civil activism for the defence of Igbos against marginalization in presidential leadership and the violation of their political rights in general. Since the past 22 years of Nigeria’s birth of modern democracy, Igbos have been sidelined in presidential leadership by not being given the opportunity to either serve as president or vice president, regardless of the fact that the other two major ethnic groups, the “Hausas” and the “Yorubas” have both produced presidents and vice presidents. “Igbos” have remained the only major ethnic group denied the right to serve, either as president or vice president since the past 22 years. This ugly act of political victimization of Igbos has got to stop in 2023, as the country looks up to another presidential transition.
In the post-transition government of the 2023 presidential election, Igbos must be listed as holders of some of the key political positions just like the “Hausas” and the “Yorubas”. Igbos are ancestral heirs and bonafide citizens of Nigeria. Therefore, they should not be treated as second class citizens or political slaves. Consequently, “Justice4Igbos Movement” was formed out of the cause to address the recurring unfair violation of the political rights of Igbos, specifically their exclusion from presidential leadership since the advent of modern democracy in 1999, just as it was, during the military regime. The creation of “Justice4Igbos Movement” is to provide a medium of engaging the public in the fight to defend the political rights of Igbos to serve in Nigeria’s presidential leadership and its top seven positions. Through its activities of advocacy and activism, “Justice4Igbos Movement” will seek to attract the attention, interest, sentiments, support and solidarity of the public.
Igbos Deserve Compensation:
Igbos do not deserve marginalization but compensation.During the civil war of 1967 – 1970,over 3 million Igbo peoplewere killed including 1 million children. In 1966, before the civil war, over 30,000 Igbos were killed in the anti-Igbo pogrom that occurred in the northern region. It was a series of massacres committed against Igbo peopleliving in northern Nigeria, which started in May 1966 and reaching a peak after 29th September, 1966. It was also reported that more than 1 million Igbos fled the northern region and returned to the southeast, losing their vast business investments. These events led to the secession of the eastern region and the declaration of the Republic of Biafra, which ultimately led to the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War.
At the end of the civil war, which lasted for 30 months (1967 – 1970), the victorious Yakubu Gowon famously declared a “No victor, no vanquished” speech in which he made it clear that the post-war aim of the federal government was the reunification and reintegration of Igbos into Nigeria, as former citizens of the rebellious Republic of Biafra. But sadly, 52 years after the civil war, Igbos are still politically discriminated. It is obvious that the hatred for Igbos and their political victimizationand exclusion have still not stopped, especially among the “fulanis” and other elites of the core north, whose political marginalization of the “Igbos” knows no bounds. Igbos are still not accepted by them till today, as bonafide citizens of Nigeria and joint political heirs. Rather, they have regarded the Igbo people, as political bastards or slaves, in their own ancestral home. This political injustice has lasted for too long and it has got to stop at this point.
During the civil war, the life savings of Igbo people were stolen by the Nigerian government. While the war was ongoing, the government of Nigeria alleged that the “Naira” was being used to finance the war efforts of the Biafran rebels. As a result, the “Naira Currency” was changed into new notes. Igbo people had already fled Nigeria into the Biafran Republic and they were unable to change their old currencies into new notes. At the end of the war, Nigerian government directed that all old currencies held by Igbo people should be presented to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for conversion into the new currencies. Igbos hurriedly carried out the instruction but the federal government made asudden u-turn and re-directed that the sum of “20 Pound Sterlings” be paid to all Biafran holders of bank accounts, regardless of the balance of their accounts. Those who took their physical cash to the CBN for conversion were treated same way. Cheap excuses were given by government for the unfair treatment.
Beyond the loss of their loved ones, houses built by Igbos and other assets they owned were also lost as spoils of war. Those in the public sectors could not reclaim their lost jobs, including those who were already occupying top positions. While Igbos were still trapped in government-inflicted poverty, the indigenization policy took effect but Igbos got cheated once more because they were unable to compete financially with Nigerians from other regions due to the“20 Pounds Policy” initiated to impoverish the Igbos. As a result, Igboscould not acquire government companies and assets under the indigenization programme.
After loosing out of the indigenization policy, Igbos got bewildered yet again when the federal government established various policies which were not designed to favour the Igbos. But rather than get discouraged, Igbos decided to rise above the ashes. Today, they have dominated every sector of the economy and have earned a reputation for themselves as the wealthiest ethnic group in Nigeria. Today, Igbos are the biggest contributors to Nigeria’s GDP and the major drivers of its economy. Therefore, they deserve to benefit more from Nigeria than other tribes. Truly, Igbos deserved to be compensated in 2023 with the presidential seat
State of the Polity:
Nigeria is today a nation polarized along ethnic and religious lines like no other time in the country’s history, except before the bloody civil war of 1967 – 1970. The Nigeria which existed before the civil war was arguably still not as politically unstable and ethno-regionally divided as its present state. No region of the country is at peace today and it is a clear indication that Nigeria is indeed a nation at war against itself. This unfortunate political development desperately calls for critical sober reflection among both the elites and the masses because Nigeria is tragically living on borrowed time. That means, a forceful political break-up is now more realistically imminent than ever.

Nigeria is certain not to survive a second civil war but signs have revealed that the country is fast pushing itself into another civil war. Leading other factors, as the basic threats to Nigeria’s unity, peace and political survival, is the recurring oppressive northern political dominance, which if not addressed, as a matter of national emergency, will forcefully slide the country into a looming political destruction. This is part of the reason the politically marginalized southern and middle belt regions have resolved to come together and join forces in the fight to eradicate the hegemonic political leadership imposed by the “fulanis” and other ruling elites of the core north. Therefore, the attempt by northern elites to retain northern presidency beyond 2023 should be widely resisted. In 2023, power must shift to the southern region.

The desperation by northern elites, to unjustly retain power beyond 2023, is speedily dragging the country to a point of no return. This is why the zoning of the 2023 Presidential Ticket must be carefully, sensitively and delicately handled by president Buhari, leaders of political parties, incumbent governors and other power brokers. In 2023, power must be rotated to the southern region because it is a make-or-mar factor for Nigeria’s unity and continued political existence.

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