Group Politics Editor, Taiwo Adisa, takes a look at the feverish calculations among political stakeholders as regards the future of the South-East geopolitical zone and the kiking off of the 2015 battle even before the aspirants get to the marked areas.How do the people of the South East geopolitical zone feel about the dramatic turnaround in their representation at the federal level since June 2011' That appears a rhetorical question, but one which has thrown up further issues among the people of the zone. The next question is, now that the South-East appeared to have dwarfed the marginalisation challenge, what is next' Can the zone manage its success this time around' How will it carry along other geopolitical zones to ensure they have the required confidence in any of its standard-bearers' How will the zone manage its oft trumpeted republican outlook'Many political pundits out there are already pointing to the 2015 presidential battle as one which the Igbos are now better positioned for, going by the fact that its indigenes are already occupying three of topmost political offices in the land. The zone, apart from producing the incumbent Chief of Army Staff, also holds the key political offices of Deputy Senate President (Senator Ike Ekweremadu), Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (Hon. Emeka Ihedioha) and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation(SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim. For a region which had consistently sung the marginalisation song in the past, the current position is not only enviable but also strategic.There are quick calculations already being put in place. Will the South-East plunge straight into the 2015 presidential race' Who and who are the likely contenders' Where will the pendulum of the powers that be in the ruling party swing, when the chips are down' Besides some of these questions, some groups have, according to investigations, been working things out in a measure called elimination by subtraction model. Such a measure, according to sources, would ensure that things are worked out in favour of a particular group when the time comes.In seeking to actualise the model, the active participants were said to have isolated certain key figures who could be used to actualise their agenda and those they believe could serve as possible stumbling blocks to the agenda. In compiling such a list, the key office holders from the zone, Anyim, Ekweremadu and Ihedioha, easily fall into the different camps, depending on the direction of the plot. While those who believe that the South-East should put up a stiff challenge for the nation's top post could be looking forward to featuring any of the trio, others who want the zone to play the second fiddle are said to be working on a scenario where one or two could be pulled down before long in a way that would ensure the zone is weakened ahead of the big battle.It would appear that the zone is seeking to eat its egg before they are hatched, but sources said that elements of the area need to watch the move by some other interested zones to plant a seed of discord among its top players.Some sources recently identified a group of game players who were working out a scenario targeted at dealing with the duo of Ekewremadu and Anyim. According to the plot, the political forces who would want the South-East to queue behind the North in the emerging 2015 scenario had started working out a sort of arrangement which would recognise Ihedioha as a point man and then create some undue rivalry among the South-East office holders.Although none of the office holders has indicated interest in being the candidate of the zone in the expected push for the topmost office in the land, political pundits expect that their vantage position, thus far, would certainly place them in the milieu when things get to the head. Anyim, who was named the SGF in June, has told all those around him to maintain a low profile and focus on the task at hand. The former Senate President was said to have been told of the objection to his candidature when President Goodluck Jonathan was going to name him the SGF. Some of those opposed to him were said to have insisted that the president would be making a huge mistake, if he does so as Anyim was said to have left public service at intermediate level when he joined politics. The Ebonyi politician was thus said to have made up his mind to surprise his critics and serve the president loyally and effectively.One close source said of Anyim: 'The man was alarmed that his name was featured in a story which talked about 2015 calculations. He was shocked and had to alert all his aides that since the office of the SGF is not a thoroughbred political office, he needs to concentrate on policy coordination and governance which would earn him the confidence of his boss.Anyim was quoted as saying: 'I am surprised that my name was linked with any 2015 calculations. This is an area I am not looking at. For me, the basic issue is to excel on my current assignment.'Subsequently, he was said to have ordered his men to ignore any attempt to drag them into such talks. Those who are attempting to link him with the 2015 awaited battle may be drawing from the mode of his emergence on the political scene in the first place. He was a Commissioner in the National Commission for Refugees, joined politics and in his very first term in the Senate, he emerged the President of the exalted institution. At 39, he emerged the youngest Senate President of the time and he piloted the affairs like any other experienced lawmaker. Indeed, Anyim escaped, through some deft moves, the proverbial banana peel which is believed to have been planted under the seat of the Senate President by eventually completing the tenure of the President of the Senate of the 1999 to 2003 set, having assumed office in 2000.Besides Anyim, Senator Ike Ekweremadu is another South-East top shot currently occupying vantage position. Like Anyim, he has not shown any sign to indicate his interest in higher office. He was the Deputy Senate President in 2007 to 2011 years and retained the position in June. As the Senate's number two man, Ekweremadu has struck a firm cord with his immediate boss, Senator David Mark. The duo successfully completed the first full term as presiding officers in the current democratic era.Ekweremadu's cap was further feathered in September, when he emerged the Speaker of the Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). He is the first Nigerian to occupy such a high in the history of Nigeria's legislative diplomacy.While the duo of Anyim and Ekweremadu has not indicated interest in higher offices, insinuations across the South-East have continued to put them on the spot. There are some speculations in respect of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ihedioha as well. Only recently, a group from the South-East, under the aegis of the South-East Revival Group (SERG) led by its Co-ordinator General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, claimed a plot was actually afoot to instigate the removal of the SGF as part of the game plan in some quarters ahead of the 2015 battle. The group said that it was immoral for some South-East politicians to serve on such a platform.In a statement titled, 'Leave Pius Anyim alone,' SERG said it was aware of the plot against Anyim by some persons who are apparently working in link with certain groups in the South-East and are 'presently scheming against the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Pius Anyim.'The statement read in part: 'It is disappointing that people can engage in acts that amount to distracting Chief Anyim, whose choice for the position of SGF was unanimously reached by the entire people of the South-East after they initially rejected the position as being inferior to other posts in the country.'Anyim's appointment was hailed across the country, especially considering that a man who was once the Senate President agreed to serve in the capacity of SGF just because the people of South-East nominated him and Mr President accepted the nomination.'When the people of the entire South-East nominated Chief Anyim, it was commendable that President Goodluck Jonathan accepted the nomination and the SGF has, since then, served with such humility that the office is now rated positively among Nigerians. This is why it is troubling to discover that there are people who are bent on distracting this humble man in the performance of his duties.'According to the group, the plotters have made contacts with prominent Igbo leaders with the aim of conscripting them to into the plot in what is described as a desperate attempt to disguise their activity as something with the backing of Igbo nation.'The group noted that the South-East is resolute in getting its focus right as far as governance of Nigeria is concerned. It took quite some persuasion for the South-East to accept the position of SGF, which we equated with sidelining the Igbo people. It is also on record that the Igbo people had the highest turnover of Senate Presidents in the history of Nigeria because of dirty scheming that went on when the office was zoned to us.'It is on this note that we sound a note of warning that no amount of scheming will bring us back to those dark days. Pius Anyim is the Igbo choice for the position of the SGF, which has been zoned to the South-East, period.'The statement further read: 'SERG said that all well meaning Nigerians and South-East groups will resist the wicked plan by these few self seeking groups to safeguard the overall well-being of Nigeria. It is best at this stage that President Jonathan and all those who have his ears understand the scenario playing out here so that they will not take steps that are inimical to the interest of the country.'It warned the people of the South-East against joining in any act that will amount to distracting the SGF noting that 'the end result of such will not be in national interest and certainly not in the interest of the region.'Ekweremadu also had his own battle front well opened. In series of media attacks in recent weeks, the senator is being described as a sell out, one politician who is not interested in Igbo Presidency. The critics believe that Ekweremadu's recent interview in Enugu, where he cautioned the Igbo on the 2015 political battle amounted to a vote of no confidence on his race.But the Special Adviser to the Deputy Senate President on Media, Mr. Uche Anichukwu, has refused to take matters lying low. He sees the attacks on his boss as part of the Pull Him Down Syndrome which was exhibited by a section of South-East politicians between 1999 1nd 2006.While the attacks on Anyim appear a bit mild, that of Ekweremadu had been clear and direct. Some of the commentators have attacked his pretence to being the Igbo leader and that his chemistry with the Senate President, Senator David Mark appears to show their proclivity towards 2015 Presidency. Anichukwu however clarified that his boss's interview in Enugu only cautioned the Igbo on the 2015 race.He said: 'Verbatim reports of the interview show that Senator Ekweremadu never asked Ndigbo to forget the Presidency for now. For the records, Senator Ekweremadu was asked: 'You said now the Igbos are fully back; are you really fully back when the Presidency is still elusive to Ndigbo'' Note that there is no reference to 2015 or any timeline here. The crux of the Senator's reply: 'Today, the Secretary to the Federal Government is from Igbo land; he's one of the few persons who see president every day. Today, the nation has an Igbo man as the Deputy President of the Senate and another Igbo man as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Reps; it has never happened before, holding these positions simultaneously. And there is only one person who can be Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament and the Nigerian people obliged an Igbo man. So, for me, that is inclusivity. We will get there when it comes to the Presidency.'He stated that the Deputy Senate President cannot possibly mobilise Ndigbo to chase away the incumbent president just because he wants the Igbo to actualise the Presidency.On those claiming that the Deputy Senate President is not the leader of Ndigbo, though he is the highest office holder from the zone, Anichukwu insists that the man does not need to throw around his political weight. He insists that the senator's service to his people and Nigeria at large should stand him out, rather than self glorification.He pointed attention to Ekweremadu's efforts at revamping the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, which the Federal Government committed N41 billion. He stated that Ekweremadu, alongside the crop of lawmakers in the South-East caucus of the Sixth National Assembly, facilitated the project. Other projects facilitated by Ekweremadu, according to him, include the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway where the government committed N7.2 billion, the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway; rehabilitation of the 9th Mile-Enugu-Port Harcourt dual carriageway for N8.9 billion; rehabilitation of Oba-Nnewi Section I for N3.7 billion; rehabilitation of Abakaliki-Afikpo Road Section I for N2.9; rehabilitation of Abakaliki ' Afikpo Road Section II for N3.5; rehabilitation of Oba'Owerri Road for N2.6; and the rehabilitation of Oba- Nnewi ' Okigwe Road Route 429 Section II for N2.5. The road linking Awgu to Ebonyi via Isiagu is close to completion, in addition to the Oji River-Agwu-Ndeabor-Mpu-Akeze Road; Agbani-Amagunze-Ebonyi road; and Ogbolafor-Isiuzo-Nkalagu Road, among others.Ekweremadu further reacted to critics of his boss thus: 'Meanwhile Ekweremadu's nationalistic disposition and his belief in politics of inclusivity where every Nigerian benefits bountifully because the president sees the whole country as his community stands. No apologies. Besides, a president of Igbo extraction cannot be achieved in isolation of the support and understanding of every other part of the country. We should, therefore, be careful not to sacrifice it on the altar of ethnic jingoism, tribal cocoon and journalistic recklessness.'Above all, the clairvoyant 'revelation' that the political rhythm between Senators Ekweremadu and Mark means that both must be aiming at the Presidency in 2015 says volumes about the barrage of attacks on Senator Mark, and of late, on Ekweremadu. They have failed to see the 'political rhythm' as bedrock of the successful amendment of the 1999 Constitution, electoral reforms, fiscal discipline and stability in Senate. It is good to know that the attacks are all about 2015 politics!
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