History beckons and I will not remain silient
Let me state my position clearly and without ambiguity. Long before the current debates, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo had consistently argued that the Igbo must align with the political center if
- By Michael Odoh
Let me state my position clearly and without ambiguity.
Long before the current debates, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo had consistently argued that the Igbo must align with the political center if we are serious about achieving our collective objectives. As far back as 2017, when he served as Chairman of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Strategy Committee — of which I was a member — this position was clearly articulated. The logic was simple and strategic: Nigeria’s power structure rewards alignment with the center, not political isolation.
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My own political choices have followed this same pragmatic reasoning. I supported Atiku Abubakar in 2019 and again in 2023, not because I believed he would perform miracles or do something extraordinary, but because I believed he represented the fastest and most realistic pathway to an Igbo presidency at the time. Politics is not about emotions or personal admiration; it is about pathways, leverage, and outcomes.
Today, looking at the political landscape without sentiment, I have come to a different conclusion. Peter Obi is unlikely to secure the ADC ticket, and Atiku cannot defeat Tinubu in a general election. Under these realities, Bola Tinubu now represents the fastest route to relevance and bargaining power for the Igbo, whether we like it or not. Ignoring this truth does not make it disappear.
The Igbo must begin to think politically smart, not politically emotional. If we fail to position ourselves strategically and miss out on the vice-presidency in 2031, we may be condemning ourselves to a very long period on the margins of national power. That would be a grave strategic failure.
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Yes, people are free to support Peter Obi — and that support is understandable — but we cannot afford to put all our eggs in one basket. Serious political blocs hedge their interests; they don’t gamble their future on a single outcome.
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Finally, we must ask ourselves difficult but honest questions. After more than six decades of struggle for inclusion at the highest level, are we truly prepared for a scenario where Obi does one term and disrupts an unwritten but critical power-balancing understanding? These are not questions of loyalty or emotion; they are questions of long-term political consequences.
Soludo’s position has always been rooted in strategy, not spite. The Igbo cause will not be advanced by wishful thinking — it will only be advanced by clear-eyed realism, alignment, and smart negotiation.
- Michael Odoh Public Affairs Analyst Writes from Abuja
