2023: It’s ridiculous to refuse the S-East president because of IPOB agitation – Ohanaeze

THE top Igbo Socio-Cultural Organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has encouraged other areas of the country not to refuse the South-East presidency in 2023 because of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, arguing that such a move is pathetic and weak.

Noting that fairness, justice, and fair playback zoning the top position to the Igbo, Ohanaeze National Publicity Secretary, Chief Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, told Vanguard yesterday that zoning the president to the Igbo will reduce tension and establish stability in the zone, and thus the country.

Ohanaeze said as Ebonyi State Governor and Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum, Dave Umahi’s, 2023 presidential campaign posters inundated social media, along with a South-East All Progressives Congress, APC, group seeking Igbo presidency.

Northern communities in Nigeria’s South-East geopolitical zone have also claimed that peace will remain elusive until an Igbo man or woman is permitted to become President.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ben Nwoye, former Chairman of the APC in Enugu State, has challenged Ndigbo to express interest in the presidency.

It is now the time of the Igbo to vote for major party candidates. —Ohanaeze

“Our view on Nigeria’s president of Igbo extraction is obvious,” Ohanaeze remarked. It is now the turn of the Igbo to generate presidential candidates for major political parties so that Nigeria’s next president would be an Igbo man. This is in reaction to equality, justice, and fairness, as well as the country’s stability. We must recognize the importance of doing so for the country’s business survival.

In reality, there was an agreement on that in 1998, and people have been following that agreement ever since.

“When some argue it isn’t in the constitution, anything you discover in the constitution has two components: morality and legality.” Morality is the unwritten, or “spirit,” of the constitution. Morals can sometimes be linked to conscience.”

In response to claims that Igbo politicians are not aspiring, mobilizing, or reaching out to other regions of the country, Ogbonnia stated, “They are rather claiming that Igbo aspirants are not lavish like some others, but we have individuals who can produce outcomes.”

 

Concerned that the IPOB’s call for Biafra may jeopardize the Igbo bid for the presidency in 2023, Chief Ogbonnia stated, “Anyone who comes with that, comes with a pathetic and weak justification.” The Niger-Delta arrived with their own agitation, and at one point they stated that in order to reduce tension and agitation, they zoned the vice president to the South-South, which resulted in the emergence of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as vice president, and he went on to become acting president and later president after President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua’s death.

“The Arewa people, as well as Boko Haram, came with their agitation.” President Jonathan stated that it was better for Nigeria to exist than to fight for victory, and he surrendered office.

“Following the annulment of late Chief MKO Abiola’s presidential election on June 12, 1993, the National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, and South-West launched an extraordinary agitation never seen before in the country’s history.” They responded, “Let’s settle them,” and all presidential aspirants were moved to Yorubaland. Why should the Igbo’s be any different? As much as Ohanaeze denies that it is a negotiation tool, it should not be used to deny Igbo the presidency.

“In reality, if you zone the presidency to the Igbo, any Igbo will be able to warn Mazi Nnamdi Kanu (IPOB Leader), ‘hold on, don’t go on this again.'” It is the most effective palliative.”

Northern communities would not be at peace till Igbo is elected president of Nigeria.

Northern Communities in the South-East, under the auspices of Arewa communities in Igbo territory, also backed Igbo presidency.

They stated during a news conference in Umuahia, the capital of Abia State, that Igbo should be allowed to replace President Muhamadu Buhari in 2023 in the spirit of equity, justice, and fairness.

The group’s National President, Alhaji Mohammed Nalado Umaru, who spoke on behalf of the Arewa villages, said it is now time for power to move to the South-East, which will assist to reduce tensions, foster peace, and strengthen national cohesion.

“In our hearts, the unity of this country should be fundamental.” This may be accomplished by electing an Igbo man as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023,” they stated.

They did, however, encourage Igbo political leaders to put aside their differences and develop a competent and popular detribalized Nigerian to run for the president in 2023, promising them of complete Northern support.
Alhaji Mohammed Nalado Umaru advised other geographical zones not to run for President, instead leaving it to the South-East in the spirit of fraternity. We are confident that the North, West, South-South, and others will rally behind our great cause.”

Alhaji Umaru raised worry over Nigeria’s leadership’s bias towards Igbos and asked for the anomaly to be corrected in 2023 for Nigeria’s survival, adding:

“We, the Northern people who live in Igbo territory, strongly support an Igbo Executive President in 2023.” We live and work in Igbo country, and we shall continue to do so as an indivisible organism.

“Igbo are hospitable and pan-Nigerians.” What will be expected of them is for them to unite and create a detribalized candidate for the 2023 Presidential election.

“When they battled our colonial rulers to gain our political and economic freedom, late Sarduana of Sokoto, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Tafawa Balewa, and Obafemi Awolowo did not envision discord and conflict.”

‘”Today, our experience is centered on tribalism, nepotism, marginalization, religious feeling, bribery, and corruption, all of which have eaten deep into our hearts.” If we can be honest with ourselves, the country’s leadership has been unbalanced, with key posts being denied to a specific ethnic community.

“The positions of President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Inspector General of Police, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff, and Director General of DSS are all held by ethnic groups, leaving the Igbo feeling marginalized.”

The governor’s presidential posters were placed on the glass doors and windows of businesses around the country.

“2023 Engr. David Nweze Umahi for President,” it said.

The posters, which are presently generating headlines, have in some ways reaffirmed the governor’s intention in becoming President in 2023.

Many people who talked with Vanguard think that the election of Governor Umahi as president in 2023 will result in a country-wide infrastructure revolution, particularly in the field of road development.

According to Chief Onyekachi Nwebonyi, Commissioner for Capital City and Urban Development in Ebonyi State, if Umahi is not elected in 2023, “Nigeria would miss the train again and lose out in the race for economic competitiveness in the community of nations.”

“In light of these considerations, it is critical that physical infrastructure be as efficient and productive as feasible,” he added. That is why, recognizing the nuances of the drivers of growth, Governor Umahi chose to attack infrastructure aggressively upon taking office as governor of Ebonyi State.

“When it comes to road infrastructure, nobody, president or governor, has come close to Governor Umahi since Nigeria’s independence.” Governor Umahi lost no time in launching aggressive road development in all 13 local government areas of Ebonyi State upon taking office. He viewed rural roads as crucial as urban roads and highways, which led to the LGA policy of 15 kilometers of rural road per LGA.

“For Nigeria to vault into the elite club of developed nations, which most Nigerians desire, Engr. Chief David Umahi must be the country’s next president.” This is because he intends to invest in all aspects of the infrastructure component that would reestablish Nigeria as Africa’s behemoth and propel it to the level of a developed nation.

“From the above, it is evident that if Nigerians do not pick Governor David Umahi as president in 2023, Nigeria will again miss the train and fall behind in the race for economic competitiveness in the community of nations.”

Ex-APC leader encourages Ndigbo to announce presidential candidacy

In a similar incident, Dr. Ben Nwoye, former chairman of the APC in Enugu State, has charged Ndigbo with expressing interest in the presidency.

“It is not enough for Ndigbo to sit back and declare that it is their turn to produce the president,” Nwoye remarked during the inauguration of State executives of the Enugu State Chapter of South East Mandate, SEM, at the APC State Secretariat in Enugu.“

He insisted that a Nigerian president of Igbo descent would not be created on a magical planet, therefore the necessity for Ndigbo to express interest and work for it.” “We urge Ndigbo to come out and express interest in the role of South-East extraction president in 2023.” They should put themselves forward and run for president.” “You cannot be elected president because you claim it is our turn. The office of President is not granted, but rather contested.”

The South-East APC faction wants Igbo to be president.

Members of the APC’s Liberation People of the South-East Assembly, LPSEA, however, called on the APC’s national leadership yesterday to zone its presidential ticket to the South-East zone.

In a statement published in Owerri, the group’s National President, Henry Chikodiri, said the APC should zone the presidential ticket to Igboland for equality and justice.

Furthermore, they stated that they will begin mobilizing and unifying South-East people to put pressure on Nigeria to elect an Igbo-speaking president.

According to them, “there is no better moment than now for the South-East to produce Nigeria’s next President.” For equality and justice, the APC National Leadership should zone the party’s presidential ticket to the South-East.”