Political leaders in Igbo land have urged all political parties in the country, including the main opposition party, PDP, and the ruling APC to cede their Presidential tickets to South East in the 2023 general election.
According to the leaders, this is in the interest of justice, equity, and national unity.
In a communique signed by Sen Orji Uzor Kalu, Sen Ike Ekweremadu, Sen Anyim Pius Anyim, Rt. Hon. Nkeiru Onyejeocha, Chief Chuka Odum, Sen. Michael Nnachi, Hon. Toby Okechukwu, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Hon. Amechi O. Danis, Chief Chekwas Okorie, Sen. Obinna Ogba, Rep. Makwe Livinus M, Dr. Oliver Osi, Hon Ali Okechukwu and Hon Stanley Ohajuruka at the end of a meeting held recently in Igbere, Bende local government area of Abia convened by Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu towards the actualisation of Igbo Presidency in 2023, the leaders say Ndigbo will give a block vote to and throw their full weight behind any major political party, particularly the APC and PDP, that zones its presidential ticket to the South East in 2023 general election.
They resolved to work for such a party irrespective of their different individual political parties.
The resolution read in part, “Recommit ourselves to the deepening of the nation’s democracy as the surest way of fast-tracking national development and building an egalitarian society where no man is oppressed for reasons of his class, ethnic, religious or political affiliation and background.
“Implore Nigerians across political, ethnic, religious, and geopolitical divides and persuasions to support the people of the South East geopolitical zone to produce a Nigerian President of South East extraction as a mark of good faith and to promote justice and national harmony. For emphasis, we deem this very important in giving every part of the country a sense of belonging and in promoting national unity and solidarity. It is the loudest reassurance of equality of all parts and that the country indeed belongs to all members of the Nigerian commonwealth
“Consequently implore all the political parties to cede their presidential tickets in the 2023 general election to the South East in the interest of justice, equity, and national unity. To make good our demand and reciprocate such good faith, we have decided, as a geopolitical zone with a substantial presence in every part of the country to give a block vote and throw our full weight behind any major political party, particularly the APC and PDP, that zones its presidential ticket to the South East in 2023 general election. We resolved to work for such a party irrespective of our different individual political parties.
“To emphasis that what we seek is a Nigerian President of South East extraction, one that will work to further unite and develop every part of the country. Such a President will be President of all Nigerians irrespective of their political, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, ensuring that all citizens and every part of the country is given a sense of belonging and treated with utmost sense of justice. Such was the dream of the founding fathers of this great nation wherefore they declared that though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand. For the same reason, they also committed to building a just nation where no man is oppressed so that Nigeria may be blessed with peace, plenty, and prosperity.”
In the meeting, the leaders recalled that Nigerians across political, ethnic, and religious divides fought hard, long, and collectively to enthrone the current democratic dispensation as the surest way to engender national development and guarantee a just and equitable society.
They noted that the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has rotated between Northern and Southern Nigeria and among the various geopolitical zones.
“Thus, the South West and South South geopolitical zones in the southern part of the country have produced the President of Nigeria. Hence as power is expected to rotate to the South in 2023, the meeting noted that the South East is the only zone in the South that is yet to produce a President of Nigeria in the current democratic dispensation.
“The meeting further observed that the people of the South East have continued to demonstrate their commitment to the unity and development of the country. Not only has the geopolitical zone actively supported the emergence of Nigerian President of other geopolitical extractions, the people are also known to be major agents of development and heavy investors outside their zone and often the next in population after the indigenes in any state of Nigeria. Our well-pronounced presence and investments in every nook and cranny of the country represent the firmest and most practical demonstration of faith in the unity, peace, and continued corporate existence of the country, for where a man’s treasure is, there his heart lies also” the communique further read.
