2023 PRESIDENCY IS COMPLETELY NEGOTIABLE – SOLOMON OGBONNA, PRESIDENT, OHANAEZE NDIGBO LAGOS
By Oki Samson, Trek Africa Newspaper
L-R: National Leader, All Progressive Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene
* Believes no stand-alone group can win presidency
* Calls Asiwaju Tinubu ‘the only man who changed the goalpost while the game is going on and he got it right’
* Recalls why Akinwunmi Ambode missed it as Governor in Lagos
On the sidelines of a visit to his office by a group of people with the simple aim tagged ‘Igbo straight to Aso rock in 2023’, the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene shared his thoughts with Oki Samson of Trek Africa Newspaper on the rate of political activities three years ahead of the general elections.
The reverred Igbo leader commenced: ‘Ohanaeze Ndigbo is sociocultural. It is not political but we are concerned about our people’s needs and stand for their interests.’
‘As the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos we are the umbrella body for all Igbos so I cannot be in opposition to people or any tribe not even my own tribe, Igbo. I have to receive everyone that comes visiting irrespective of political affiliation. They said ‘2023 Igbo straight to Aso Rock’, I have to give my blessing to them though not a stakeholder. I am like a traditional ruler, I have to welcome everybody. I am like a Reverend who pray for the sinners and the righteous, so anyone can visit me.’
‘But like I use to say everyone in this world is a politician. For example, the difference between a Toyota 2019 and 2020 model might be a headlight but there will be a big increase in price. That’s the politics of industry. Queen Elizabeth is a politician because she wants the best for her people and will be interested in who becomes Prime Minister.’
He continued: ‘As a person, for the 2023 presidency, there must be negotiation, then whoever emerges should be supported. For anyone saying Igbo presidency is non-negotiable, I don’t know their reasons but I know Nigeria is a country. You must participate, be qualified, get a form, contest, and win. If you say non-negotiable then a mad man can be the president. A standalone ethnic group cannot win alone, you have to negotiate with others. If no one can get such power in a small country like Benin and Togo, then why think it will happen in a big country like Nigeria.’
On his choice of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a preferred candidate for 2023, the no. 1 Igbo in Lagos said: ‘Everyone has his/her own choice. But the only person I have got the most experience from in terms of politics even though I have not met him in person is Bola Ahmed Tinubu.’
‘I came to Lagos in 1984, lived in Maroko and can tell you that from Ikate to Ajah then, you can be killed by wild animals like pythons until Asiwaju Tinubu came into power and he ensured that the bushes were cleared, roads were constructed, started encouraging the Baales and Obas on how to relate with government, and opened up the entire place for development. Now some people live in Epe and tell you they live in Lekki, some even built houses in Sagamu junction and tell you they live in Lekki as long as they pass through Lekki-Epe expressway. So the man has done much. He is a leader that doesn’t want people to suffer. He started his leadership by going deep to the grassroots and bring them out to become great leaders. He also has the initiative to bring many who are frustrated abroad to come home and they are doing great. So many of them are doing well in politics today.’
He furthered about his choice candidature, ‘It is not about making noise. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has not met me in person, he has never given me anything but I have been following him for a very long time. The best thing he has done for me is to bring Babajide Sanwo-olu as Lagos State Governor.’
‘It is not about just building projects, it is like living in castle on empty stomach. It is better to live in small apartment and live well than live in a castle on empty stomach. This is where former Governor missed it. You cannot be building structure when your people are not happy because of hunger. People were no longer comfortable with him.’
Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene also praised Asiwaju Tinubu for the current Lagos state government which he believes is having great impact on the lives of Lagosians. ‘Tinubu brought a great team. This is the first time we are having such. Not even in his own time did we have such. The team of Babajide Sanwo-olu as Governor, Obafemi Hamzat as Deputy Governor and Tayo Ayinde as Chief of Staff is a great team. The leadership, humbleness and the fear of God they have displayed is wonderful’
‘Tinubu is the only man that changed the goalpost while the game is going on and he got it right. So we need someone like this man in the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is my own opinion. I didn’t say it is non-negotiable but he is the only leader that doesn’t want his people to suffer. If my biological father wants to be president and I found that it is only for himself, his family and friends, I will not support him’, he concluded.
