FOR the Igbo to emerge as Nigeria’s president, the people need to come together under one umbrella and key leadership, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Paul Ikonne, has said.
Such leadership, he said, must be credible and honest, ready to champion the cause of Igbo people, and needs to work closely with the present administration to ensure that it works, “which I know the Igbo are ready to do. At the end, we can begin to talk of Igbo as president.
“If you are not part of ensuring that the president fulfills his electoral promises and the Igbo go with the opposition, we can’t think of Igbo presidency. By the grace of God, we will show more strength to support the president that has shown us kindness and attention.”
He described as too hasty the agitation that an Igbo succeeds President Muhammadu Buhari, stating rather that every Igbo man, for now, should see that President Buhari succeeds, as that issue is not on the table right now.
Meanwhile, the representative of Ikwuano/Umuahia of Abia State in the House of Representatives, Sam Onuigbo, has urged President Buhari to reflect the principle of federal character, as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution, in his appointments to give every section a sense of belonging.
Onuigbo told newsmen at the weekend in Umuahia that President Buhari’s recent appointment of military service chiefs and other security agencies did not represent this principle, stating that it was lopsided in favour of the north.
According to him, this lopsidedness is capable of alienating a disadvantaged section of the country at a time the nation most needs peace and unity. To that end, he advised the President to quickly amend this in his other appointments to assuage the feelings of those marginalised.
He expressed hope that the current leadership crisis in the National Assembly would be resolved soon, saying that such settlement is critical to effective and harmonious lawmaking.
He further assured his immediate constituents of quality representation, just as he commended Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for the steps so far taken in addressing the challenges to the state, and urged the people to continue supporting him.
However, Ikonne dispelled the notion that the APC was already showing signs of implosion as the now opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP did recently, stating rather that the APC is still a united and formidable house.
“The symbol of the party shows unity and that unity is still there,” he said. “There is no family that doesn’t have squabbles but how you resolve it matters and that is where you see the supremacy of the party and maturity.
“Don’t forget that the leaders of the party are focused and principled people, tested over time. So, you will be surprised that whatever you think might tear the party apart would rather fortify it.”
Meanwhile, he extolled the former chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and a leader of APC, Ogbonnaya Onu, noting that some Igbo leaders lost because they lacked his kind of qualities, such as consistency
He described Onu as an Igbo elite that sees ahead of time and plays politics of decency, stating that the others should not have thrown all their eggs in one basket. He admitted, though, that it was so because if an Igbo man gives anyone support, he shows it and does not hide his feelings.
“Now, that same strength and support are what we are going to translate into the APC-led government. It is going to be all-inclusive and every Igbo man will identify with today’s government.”
