USAfrica Special report by CHUKS ILOEGBUNAM and CHIDO NWANGWU (at the 2002 convention) 

The largely fraternal warmth and frank exchanges among the Igbo political activists and political leaders was dislocated at the closing hours of the 8th annual convention of the World Igbo Congress at the five-star Adam's Mark Hotel in Houston, Texas.

A political fireball hit the well-attended convention when Chief Ojo Maduekwe, Nigeria's Transport Minister who serves, also, as one of Nigeria's president Obasanjo's staunch Igbo defenders took on Senator Ike Nwachukwu (a retired army General and one of the 2002 elections presidential aspirants) in a direct verbal assault questioned Nwachukwu's "integrity."

The Minster called the Senator dishonest. According to Maduekwe, Nwachukwu was not long ago a constant visitor to Aso Rock where he tirelessly lobbied retired Gen. Obasanjo to enthrone him as Senate President and over the head of another Igbo incumbent.

He alleged, without mincing words, that Nwachukwu who aspired to remove his boss to lead Nigeria as president was without ethics. But when Chief Maduekwe looked Senator Nwachukwu in the eye and called him a liar, the convention could take it no more. Hundreds of voices rained abuses on Maduekwe, calling him 'stooge', 'puppet', 'turncoat' and some other names that are unprintable. Nwachukwu maintained his calm, and later spoke against the allegations made by the Minister.

It all started when Senator Nwachukwu, former External Affairs minister, laid into President Olusegun Obasanjo with uncommon animus, during his detailed presentation on his candidacy. Obasanjo (waving in picture, right) did not attend the convention.

Nwachukwu, who hails form the same senatorial district as Maduekwe, pronounced Obasanjo's administration a failure, dictatorial, tribalistic, lacking focus and fairness to all Nigerians. He accused Obasanjo of gross marginalization of Ndigbo. He buttressed his allegation with the would have been NEPA power station in Alaoji, in Abia State which, months ago, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo accused the Obasanjo administration of relocating at Ota, in Ogun State.

Nwachukwu received a standing ovation for his efforts and articulation. It was a congress with outright antipathy for the Obasanjo administration, and any swipe at the political leadership of the country ignited instant celebration. But out came Maduekwe who lit into Nwachukwu, denying that Obasanjo was anti-Igbo. He located the problem in General Nwachukwu who he, in effect, described as unscrupulous. Maduekwe said it was not true that any power station was relocated from the Igbo country to Ogun State.

Some of the Minister's supporters demanded that he be given more time to continue his arguments. About 90 minutes earlier, he had addressed the convention . For some moments during the disagreements and shouts, Maduekwe resumed his seat on the front row, momentarily and finally walked out of the convention at an end.

Before the rumpus, Aviation Minister Dr. (Mrs.) Kema Chikwe addressed the audience. She also defended her largely commended record in improving Nigeria's aviation infrastructure. Although, she faced mounting demands to make Enugu an international airport.

The convention, which had the theme of Agwo No N'akrika or Crunch Time For Ndigbo, started on August 29. It was the most attended since the inception of the World Igbo Congress in 1994. General Alexander Madiebo, the commander of the defunct Biafran army who gave the keynote address, called on Ndigbo and Nigerians to "focus on the task of rebuilding Nigeria on the principles of equity and fairness to all."

Five of the known Igbo presidential aspirants, namely, Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu, former Senate president of Nigeria, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, Chief Rochas Okorocha and Senator Nwachukwu and were in attendance, as was Chief Chekwas Okorie, the national chairman of the newly registered All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA. Apart from Chief Maduekwe, Professor A.B.C. Nwosu, the Health Minister were in attendance. Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, the national secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was also present. The only South East Governor to make it was Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju of Anambra State who was embroiled in a conflict with some members of the Anambra community. He watched as one of his commissioners was taken out of the Anambra Forum by the police for disrupting the peace of the assembly.

The communique presented a ten-point resolution which called for "true federalism that allows each state to develop at its pace,provides security to its people, gives it right to control its national resources, and reduces its fiscal dependence on the federal government." It endorsed the Ohanaeze Ndigbo position on the "right and turn of Ndigbo to produce the next Nigerian president in 2003."

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