By Enenche Enenche
Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu of blessed memory brought APGA towards building up to the 2003 presidential election to give his people a political identity after seeing that it will be easier to fight from within than outside. His people rejected him and followed “Fulani-inspired party” (PDP).
The Southwest has voted in one direction since 1999. In 1999 they voted for AD. In 2003 they voted AD but were rigged out, but Tinubu went to court to reclaim the mandates.
In 2007, they wanted to vote for AD’s Adebayo Adefarati who died before the election but were overwhelmed by the malpractices of the 2007 general election.
In 2011, the name changed to ACN, they started their bridge of moving northwards, bringing in Nuhu Ribadu as her candidate but supporting Goodluck Jonathan, because the agitation in Niger Delta was at its peak.
PDP zone Speaker House of Reps to Southwest, seeing that this will increase PDP presence in their zone, moved to support Aminu Tambuwal to become Speaker against the wish of PDP.
In 2015, they allied with the north and dislodged the incumbent PDP out of power.
In 2019, they voted to support the north to keep Buhari in power.
This is how the Southwest has evolved politically. On Saturday, they see it as a day to enthrone what Obafemi Awolowo and MKO Abiola could not achieve.
This is how they have voted since 1999, waiting to have their time. So, you expect them, to sacrifice their lifelong dream for an eight-month-old media political sensation called Obi Movement?
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Make no mistake, the southwest, Kogi, Kwara, Borno, and Yobe will vote for Tinubu on Saturday. Atiku has more ground in the north than Tinubu, he does not have a southern base.
N’digbos hear this, if you want, after Saturday, burn bridges. Declare to go, and call the winners names. Even the Goodluck and South-south that lost in 2015 have moved on. They have so moved on that APC that dislodged him from Power, bought a presidential primary form for him while you are sitting at home on Mondays. If you like, after Saturday, and it does not go your way, burn every bridge and come back 5 months to the 2027 election and mob people to accept your political interests. Concentrate on middle-belt and far northern minorities that this Obi Movement has opened up and build your political structures in Nigeria.
2023, shall be determined by Religion in the North, Interests in the South, Sentiments in the East, and Ethnicity in the West.
Nigeria is a complex project.
…Enenche Enenche writes in from Abuja