An elder statesman and a former university don, Dr. Max Nduaguibe, has slammed Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and former Senate President, Sen. Ken Nnamdi, for claiming that Ndigbo will make fortune and possibly actualise Igbo presidency under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Nduaguibe, an associate of late Shehu Yar’Adua and Deputy Chairman of the defunct Democratic Peoples of Nigeria (DPN), bared his mind in an exclusive interview with our correspondent in his country home, Mbawsi, Isiala-Ngwa North, Abia State. He argued that the known and clearly defined political agenda of Ndigbo anchored on ‘Restructuring and Devolution of Power’ had been earlier rejected and dismissed by President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling APC.

Apparently referring to a recent statement credited to Gov. Okorocha where he alleged that ‘Ndigbo have nothing to show that we are part of the Nigerian project; neither do we have any sense of belonging in the present government at the national level’, Dr. Nduaguibe described the Imo governor’s lamentation as one coming too late. He added that those Igbo leaders presently decamping to APC are doing so for selfish reasons and not to actualise Igbo political agenda.

“Am I right to have warned earlier that APC, otherwise Rochas Okorocha, Ken Nnamani and their likes cannot be right in pushing Ndigbo into their APC? Ndigbo have a well-defined political agenda which APC, Buhari and Osibanjo ruled out as not part of their concern. Ndigbo should not be struggling for political appointments; if it comes, it is only a right not a favour. Neither should Ndigbo be thankful of any infrastructure sited in Igbo land. We can afford it by ourselves if only Nigeria is restructured,” Nduaguibe said.

He further canvassed for a united movement of Ndigbo to any political party that responds to the aspiration of total devolution of power to the regions as it was inherited from the British in 1963.

“We shall continue to support all efforts by the Ohanaeze to liaise with any political party that responds to our aspirations for total devolution of power. The Nnia Nwodo-led Ohanaeze must also liaise with all regions, groups and individuals desirous to joining hands in the realisation of total devolution of power to the regions. That is the Igbo Political Agenda as of now. Those flooding to the APC are on their own,” he concluded.

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