THE SHIMMER OF THE BLISTERING EAGLE: Dr. OGBONNAYA ONU. Written by KEMKA S. IBEJI

I think he is the most deserving member of the APC to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari from 2023. 

If you call him the star of Nigerian democracy, you would not have said too much of a bit of what he is or represents. Meek and mild, temperate and poised, focused and undeterred, steadfast and diligent, reliable and trustworthy. Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu can be said to be the most persevering politician in Nigeria approximate to President Muhammadu Buhari. A fine gentleman, blazing intelligence and a fascinating personality. He is not interested in taking praises but willing to keep working. He is the dreamer and visionary of the ruling party - the All Progressives Congress (APC).

A dreamer and visionary is indeed greater than a leader though Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu doubles as both the dream owner and visionary leader of the APC. He exudes tranquility, calmness and stability.

Why is Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu the best to lead Nigeria as her president after President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023?

The above question, I think, should be in the mind of our readers and those who have heard the name of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu with respect to the 2023 general election. Few of the reasons for his choice as the very best are; the party (APC) structure, power sharing and allocation from inception, the personality of aspirants, the life of the party going into the elections, general national zoning to South and Southeast, sacrifices to the Southwest and debt of the conscience.

There is no gainsaying the fact that the political party that has come to be known in Nigeria and across the world today as the APC was first in existence in the mind of Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu. He had the vision and passed it across to other leaders who are here regarded as vision helpers.

When the APC came into existence, it happened as a coalition and an aggregation of a few political parties such as Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) ably led by President Muhammadu Buhari, the All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP) led by Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) led by Bola Ahmed Tinubu. A tributary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) led by Rochas Okorocha and the breakaway arm of the People's Democratic Party known as the New PDP (nPDP) with their various heads notable among which are former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki, former governor Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi and host of others.

At the sharing of power, while the scrambling was going on, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and his team from the ANPP stayed calm and let the rest get their wants. In the power allocations, the CPC bloc got the presidency with President Muhammadu Buhari, the ACN bloc got the Vice Presidency with Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and the Speaker of the House of Representatives being Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, the nPDP got the Senate Presidency with Sen. Bukola Saraki. One could here recall that the 3 (three) major political parties that birthed the APC were the ANPP, CPC and ACN. Whereas the CPC and ACN got their fair share of power allocation in the first 8 (eight) years, the ANPP are yet to be considered. It is now their turn and right. Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu is the leader of the ANPP bloc and deserves the right to first refusal, if at all. It is the turn of the ANPP bloc to become the president of Nigeria in 2023 by APC power sharing and allocation formula. Give it to the most patient dog, her fattest bone. The APC internal structure, power sharing and allocation favours exclusively Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu as the next President of Nigeria in 2023 

Considering the personality of aspirants and the life of the party going into the elections in 2023, it is important to mention a few qualities that make Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu the bride of the season. So far, the APC has been polarised into hostile camps such that if it goes either way, the rest would see themselves as having lost and will definitely leave. This will not be the best for the APC in going into the 2023 general elections. Only one man stands out and has no alignment to any camp. Such man can best be seen as the peace image and the rallying point of the party. And that man is Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu. Also, power is never anywhere in the world given to the ambitious and power hungry. Among all the aspirants so far, only Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu is neither ambitious nor power thirsty. He is a smooth team player who is willing to work with everyone and anybody to lift Nigeria up. He deserves to be the President of Nigeria in 2023 after President Muhammadu Buhari. 

In the topical issues of general national zoning to South and Southeast especially, it is obvious even to the blind that the South is to present the next President of Nigeria in 2023. Also in the South, the zoning essentially favours the Southeast being the only zone in the South that is yet to mount the seat of Nigerian presidency. The Southwest has taken their turns having President Olusegun Obasanjo as president of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 (8 solid years) and Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as Vice President of Nigeria whose full 8 years run will end in 2023. The Southwest have been fully pleased. 

Also in the South, the Southsouth have enjoyed their own turn through President Goodluck Jonathan who completed the turn of President Umar Musa Y'aradua and went ahead to actualise another full term. That our memories have never failed us to recall that the South is made up of the Southwest, Southsouth and the Southeast. Whereas the Southwest and Southsouth have all taken their turns, it just the Southeast alone that is yet to become the President of Nigeria and 2023 is the year for it with Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu well situated as the best man for the job. Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu is from the Southeastern part of Nigeria, the visionary of the APC, the leader of the ANPP bloc of the coalition, and rallying personality of the party's healthy outing in 2023. Let him be the president of Nigeria in 2023. 

Whenever we get into the intellectual analysis of the concept of leadership or politics, as the case may be, we bring to fore the fact that it is classified under axiology which concerns itself with values. As we discuss values we are merely bringing up morality, the conscience and fairness. There is this cliché that states that one good turn deserves another. Another wise saying holds that gratitude is the biggest debt. To this end, I dare say that the entire country Nigeria and especially the Southwest owe Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu the greatest debt of gratitude and must not present themselves this time as ingrates by trying to deny him of his deserve. Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu in 1999 paid the greatest sacrifice to Nigeria and the Southwest in particular and handed them the debt of the conscience by clearing the way for an all Southwest presidential election. 

We must again remember that going into the general election in 1999, there were 3 (three) major political parties being the People's Democratic Party (PDP), the All People's Party (APP) and Alliance for Democracy (AD) which was a regional party based in the Southwest. While the PDP and APP were known national political parties with structures across the country, the AD was just at best a Southwest party. In their various primary elections, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo emerged the flag bearer of the PDP, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu emerged the standard bearer of the APP while Chief Olu Falae became the flag bearer of the AD. In ensuring that the country gives the Southwest a sense of belonging based on certain national issues, all aspects of Nigeria agreed to give power to the Southwest. To achieve this, only one man has the right to grant the wish of all and that man was and is Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu who was the Presidential Candidate of the APP. Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu had that golden opportunity to become the president of Nigeria in 1999. This is very obvious because to have 2 (two) Southwest candidates on the ballot and 1 (one) Southeasterner, the result was already clear. Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu paid the sacrifice and gave out his right and greatest chance of being the president of Nigeria in 1999 to the Southwest by handing Chief Olu Falae his ticket in a fowl swallowing elephant alliance of APP-AD. If the people of Southwest are to play by the rules of good conscience and moral exigencies, they must all step down and file behind Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu as the next President of Nigeria in 2023. He paid the price. Even the Bible admonished that you cast your bread on the waters and that after many years it shall come back to you. The bread cast on water has indeed cut me back to Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and it is clear that whoever is against this divine mandate is against the will of God Almighty.

In the last analysis therefore, we have in Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu very invaluable and priceless gift for the 2023 Presidential Election. A dream owner, a visionary leader, an astute follower, an indefatigable thinker, a fascinating personage, a roaring intelligence, a formidable political giant, and a very humble citizen of Nigeria. Let's rise to a greater Nigeria with this creative mind, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, as the President of Nigeria come 2023. God bless Nigeria!