About Chris Ngige’s decision on Tinubu, Obi

#NigeriaDecides2023: I voted my conscience – Chris Ngige

I think it has to do with either or combination of the following:

(1). Personality Clash/Envy: Ngige is fond of comparing himself to Tinubu. He’s always envious of him. He talks as if he has an axe to grind with him. It reminds me of the altercation between Ngige and James Faleke, during a hearing of an ad-hoc committee of the House of Representatives. During the short but hot exchange of words, Ngige left the issue and brought in Tinubu, who wasn’t a party to the issue, who didn’t offend him. That to me speaks to a concealed age-long feeling of resentment and disdain.

 

(2). Ethnic Loyalty: As an Igbo man, Ngige displays ethnic loyalty rather than party loyalty. He openly betrayed the party that gave him the opportunity of appointment. Ethnicity is a strong decider in Nigerian politics.

 

(3). Weak/Leadership Indifference: This is the most potent factor that explains the drama. The president has never displayed or asserted leadership when he is required to do so. No serving minister could openly denigrate their party during Obasanjo presidency. What Ngige did further gives credence to the saying that the president is indifferent to the party and what goes on around him, in as much as it doesn’t affect him directly. This attitude looks to me as being deliberately selfish on the part of the president.

 

(4). Fear of Consequences for betraying his kingsman: With the tendencies of the obedient Igbo youth to behave in a wild and violent way, Ngige might be afraid of the consequences of openly working against the “interest” of the Igbos. He might want to play safe. But this is cowardly and doesn’t depict the status of his office.

 

In conclusion, I’m disappointed, not because Ngige behaved the way he did, but because nothing, I mean absolutely nothing would happen to him. No one would mete any disciplinary measure/action against him. There have been substantial precedents and antecedents of party betrayals in APC with latent support of the president. There is no party discipline in the APC

__________________________ Join us on WhatsApp ______________________________

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *