The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohaneze Ndigbo, has urged politicians of Southeast extraction not to accept to be running mate to any presidential candidate in the 2023 general election.
This has added to increasing calls and warnings by other stakeholders including Ohaneze Youth Council, who have warned all Southeast presidential aspirants against accepting to be running mate to any Northern presidential aspirant.
This declaration was made by the President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Professor George Obiozor, at the Imeobi Ohaneze Ndigbo meeting on Thursday, May 5, in Enugu.
What the President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo is saying
Obiozor said the clamour for a Nigerian President of Southeast extraction was morally and historically justifiable and a project to which every Igbo must commit.
He said, “All the double dealings about zoning and rotation of power are orchestrated conspiracy to deprive the Southeast of the right to produce the president.
“I encourage all the presidential aspirants from the zone to remain focused, tenacious and optimistic.’’
He explained that the Political Action Committee (PAC) of the Ohaneze Ndigbo would meet several eminent Nigerians to persuade them to appreciate why a politician of Southeast extraction should be elected as president of Nigeria.
Obiozor lamented the weekly “sit-at-home’’ order observed on Mondays in the Southeast and said the Igbo are recording huge losses in incomes as a result of its observance.
He noted, “Ndigbo has tried severally to persuade the youths to realise the consequences of their actions.’’
What you should know
- Recall that barely 24 hours ago, the Ohaneze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide had warned that Igbo youths would not take it lightly with any presidential aspirant from the Southeast region who accepts to play a second fiddle.
- The warning came amid rumour that former Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi was considering taking the position of running mate to Atiku Abubakar.
- Ohaneze had earlier threatened that the Igbos would dump any political party that chooses a Northerner as its presidential candidate.