The seeming cold war between the president and some Igbo leaders has refused to die down one year after the election that brought Mr. Buhari to power. Although, while the president has since moved on with the business of governing Nigeria, these Igbo leaders are yet to find the humility and discipline to accept the fact that President Buhari is no longer an opposition candidate, but now the leader of this nation and to engage him constructively for the good of their people.

A lot has been said about President Muhammadu Buhari’s hatred for Ndigbo and how he is fighting the Igbo nation, denying her strategic appointments in his government. Some Igbo leaders are even insinuating that the president is actually the one creating the resurgence of the Biafran agitation through his politics of hate.

But does President Buhari really hate Ndigbo and seek to diminish the Igbo nation? On the other hand, do the Igbos actually have any love for Mr. Buhari himself? Are they trying to make things any easier for the president and themselves? If President Buhari does hate the Igbo people, what exactly are their sins against him? Today, an average Igbo man is being made to believe that the president is the problem of Ndigbo, and should therefore be hated by all. They have been made to believe that any Igbo man who supports Mr. Buhari must be a saboteur who wants to remain perpetually enslaved to the Hausa/Fulani oligarchy.

In 2003, President Buhari, the then presidential flag bearer of APP, picked a full blooded Igbo son, Senator Chuba Okadigbo, as his running mate for that year’s presidential election. Again, in 2007, he picked Chief Edwin Umezoke as his running mate, having won the presidential ticket of ANPP for that year’s presidential election too. On both occasions, the Igbo nation rejected Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and her sons who ran alongside him at the polls. If Buhari hates Ndigbo, would he have chosen Igbo people as his running mates on two occasions – persons who had the potentials to succeed him if he had won power on any of the attempts?

In 2015, however, Mr. Muhammadu Buhari’s relationship with Ndigbo reached a new low as the Igbo nation bared its fangs of hate and descended into the politics of hate, bitterness, isolation and greed. What Mr. Buhari suffered in the hands of Ndigbo and others was enough to break him down, mentally and emotionally. I must hasten to add that there is absolutely nothing undemocratic in the overwhelming majority of Ndigbo not voting for President Buhari as they have done on a number of other occasions. But let’s tell ourselves the truth, the Igbo nation made it a personal matter with her belligerent posture against President Buhari’s candidature.

For instance, Igbo leaders were at the forefront of the widespread agitations against Mr. Muhammadu Buhari and his ambition to become Nigeria’s president. Again, among all those who went to court to stop his candidacy, a majority of them were Igbos. Igbo leaders pulled their hate train, moving from one place to another demonising Gen. Buhari as the greatest enemy of Ndigbo, while extolling Mr. Goodluck Jonathan as the greatest lover of the Igbos. Even APGA, the so-called Igbo party also went to court to stop Buhari’s candidacy, through the efforts of a former senator from Anambra North. This was in addition to APGA being the first political party, even before the PDP, to endorse President Jonathan’s fruitless second term ambition.

But why do the Igbo leaders and, as a matter of fact, some other ethnic leaders hate President Buhari with such intensity? The answer is corruption. The very reason they hate President Buhari is also the reason they loved President Jonathan. These greedy leaders have special inclinations for corrupt, weak and hopelessly profligate leaders like ex President Jonathan. Their aversion for a strong, prudent and accountable leadership is legendary – and in spite of his shortcomings, that is what President Buhari vehemently represents.

Today, President Buhari, the celebrated Igbo hater, has not only giving the Igbos important appointments, but he is set to do for them what their inglorious messiah, ex-President Jonathan could not do in six years, capturing in his very first budget, the Second Niger Bridge, the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway and other South-East roads, which became deathtraps under Jonathan’s six year rule. And more are coming – projects he intends to deliver according to schedules and specifications.

In one of my reflections, I had wondered why APGA, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other Igbo groups were so quick to endorse President Jonathan for a second term mandate. The answer is greed. Mr Jonathan never inspired anyone, and if he ever loved Ndigbo, he would not have left the Igbo land in a worst state than he met it.

Chris Chukwubuzor Azuka is National Coordinator, Save the Dream Nigeria Project, and can be reached through azucomms2000@gmail.com.

TippyTop:
So when the SW said they were marginalised under GEJ it was politics of hate?
SW voted massively for GEJ and expected to be carried along. He disappointed. They didn't constitute themselves as nuisance to his government, rather they re-strategised. They disappointed him by voting for another candidate. Way to go.
[b]When northern governors declared Sharia under Obj it was politics of hate?[/b
The northern governors voted massively for Obj and that was why he allowed them to have their ways. He was very sure of their pranks and that was why he called it a "political shariah" that would eventually fade out. What happened? Eventually, political shariah and its supporters faded out.
When Niger deltans insist on restruturing the country it is politics of hate?
No, it isn't politics of hate. They got Amnesty Programme, OMPADEC, Niger Delta Ministry, NDDC, 13% derivation, among others. The problem here is that most of the monies appropriated for developments found their ways into some crook pockets without commensurate developments in the land. So, there is bound to be a repeat of the struggle all over again.

Seems we're all haters then if we can't speak our minds in fear of being labelled "hater"
When you claim others hate you, the question is what is it that you're doing to make yourself an object of hate? Some thinking my brother.

Sealeddeal:
Op is a foolish man

Sealeddeal:
Op is a foolish man

Sealeddeal:
Op is a foolish man

Sealeddeal:
Op is a foolish man
How can he claim that Igbo nation rejected Buhari in 2003 and 2007 when it is generally known that the votes of the masses never counted in those occasions. Can it also be claimed that Igbo nation rejected Ojukwu in 2003 when he could not win any Igbo state that year? Can he also claim that Anambrarians rejected Peter Obi that year when Chris Ngige was declared winner?
Igbo nation never hated Buhari prior to 2011. Post 2011 election cost Buhari his support from East and not just Igbo nation. The subsequent killings and the feeling that increased Boko haram attacks which he initially supported to frustrate GEJ made him to lose his support from East as a whole.

sparrowkid:

LOL at the bolded. The same logic always. Tell a lie, believe the lie and tell it to your children. The cycle continues.

xharder:
I dont read trash..

Watch how this thread makes FP to show you how nairaland hate igbos but this thread https://www.nairaland.com/3174460/bayo-adeyinka-wrote-open-letter
was hidden and never made FP..

inquisitiv:
Once again I will comment on this post so other Nigerians will not believe all igbos support corruption. I am a full blooded igbo and this writer is spot on. He is very correct in his analysis.

The average igbo politician is one greedy creature, accomplishments are the number of houses he built. This disease is so deep that even the youth of the community points to him as haaving been blessed by God since he won election.

I have lived and worked in SE, SS, SW, NC and NE of this country. Every regionhas their corrupt leaders but the difference is that SW will tell their own thieves to their face that they are thieves. My brothers in SE will celebrate the loot and call the thieve 'our son'.

This is a disgrace.

Not in my name!

Goodluck was adopted because of the access of igbo leaders to Dollars. No principle, no strategy. Look at SE states and observe how leadershipwas transferred. Except for anambra others were handed over to people worse than their predecessors. Compare with Lagos where it is obvious that their is a list somewhere of competent managers who are thrown up to lead the state. What we have in the SE is politics of business. where the biggest moneybag buys the office.

As usual once I write some unexposed people will start questioning my igboness. you need to mix up.

The lastest shame is when cases of morals are in court eg forgery, the defense is that 'our son is being persecuted'. this is disgraceful

Not in my name. I am a proud igbo boy. I dont condone fraud.

Sealeddeal:
Op is a foolish man
How can he claim that Igbo nation rejected Buhari in 2003 and 2007 when it is generally known that the votes of the masses never counted in those occasions. Can it also be claimed that Igbo nation rejected Ojukwu in 2003 when he could not win any Igbo state that year? Can he also claim that Anambrarians rejected Peter Obi that year when Chris Ngige was declared winner?
Igbo nation never hated Buhari prior to 2011. Post 2011 election cost Buhari his support from East and not just Igbo nation. The subsequent killings and the feeling that increased Boko haram attacks which he initially supported to frustrate GEJ made him to lose his support from East as a whole.

einst3in:
Very very spot on Op. Greed and quest for quick wealth is what has bedeviled the ibo nation. The hatred is so blinding that they forget that foreign affairs, Commerce science and technology, petroleum, the CBN, Amcon, debt management, budget office and other strategic position that forbears the Nigerian economy are being managed by the Ibos. Ipob youths, think for ur selves. In fact all Nigerians should have an open mind.

amaechi1:


How I wish those young men and women who have been galloping around in the name of protest would understand their real enemies are their corrupt leaders from LGA to the presidency.

Eziokwu bu ndu.

BankeSmalls:


Their real enemies are the western tribe with their support of evil policies.

Igboid:
"The seeming cold war between the president and some Igbo leaders has refused to die down one year after the election that brought Mr. Buhari to power. Although, while the president has since moved on with the business of governing Nigeria, these Igbo leaders are yet to find the humility and discipline to accept the fact that President Buhari is no longer an opposition candidate, but now the leader of this nation and to engage him constructively for the good of their people"


Who are these Igbo leaders the stupid Ewuka of author is speaking about? How many Igbo leaders have been more vocally anti Buhari than Femi Kayode and Fayose?

Are Ngige, Ogbonnnaya Onu, Okorocha, etc no longer Igbos? Are they now Yorubas?
How much exactly was given to this silly author that made his brain cells to atrophy and degenerate this fast?