Abdullahi Ganduje, Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has issued a compelling call to the Igbo nation, asserting that their path to ending marginalization and achieving political freedom lies in aligning with the ruling party.
Speaking at Ifeanyi Ubah’s empowerment rally in Nnewi, Anambra State, Ganduje reminisced about a missed opportunity for the Igbo to ascend to the presidency in the 1980s, recalling the tenure of Alex Ekwueme as Vice President under Shehu Shagari.
He lamented that the military coup thwarted this prospect, suggesting that Ekwueme could have assumed the presidency if not for the intervention of the military.
Ganduje emphasized the significance of Igbo integration into the ruling party, asserting that political liberation hinges on this strategic move.
He urged the Igbo nation to heed this call, affirming that aligning with the APC would pave the way for an end to marginalization and the realization of its political aspirations.
The APC chairman’s remarks underscore the longstanding quest for greater political representation and empowerment among the Igbo, a region that has yet to produce a president since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.
Despite being one of Nigeria’s major ethnic groups, the Igbo have faced persistent marginalization and underrepresentation in national leadership positions.
The resurgence of the Biafran agitation, spearheaded by Nnamdi Kanu’s Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) in 2015, reflects the deep-seated grievances and aspirations of the Igbo people.
The movement, initially driven by calls for secession, escalated into violence following a crackdown by security forces under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, resulting in tragic loss of life.
Ganduje’s appeal serves as a strategic outreach to the Igbo, offering a pathway to address their grievances and realize their political aspirations within the framework of the ruling party.