Atiku’s claim of being stepping-stone to Igbo presidency laughable, diversionary, says Ohanaeze

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, took a swipe at a statement credited to the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, claiming that his presidency would be a stepping-stone to Igbo Presidency, describing his claim as laughable and diversionary.

Atiku had, few days ago in Enugu, where he met party stakeholders from the zone, noted that Igbo Presidency would come from him being president of the country.

But, Ohanaeze, in a statement in Abakaliki, through its Secretary General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, queried how Atiku can claim to be a stepping stone to a futuristic Igbo Presidency when Nigerians, united across ethno-religious lines, overwhelmingly support Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, for the 2023 general elections.

He maintained that all polls conducted, so far, show that Obi is cruising to victory, not as an Igbo presidential candidate, but as the real unifier of all the zones that make up the country.”

The statement reads: “Ohanaeze wishes to state that the statement of Atiku, the presidential candidate of PDP in Enugu two days ago, that his presidency would be ‘a stepping-stone’ to Igbo Presidency is laughable and diversionary.

“How can Atiku claim such when Nigerians, united across ethno-religious lines, overwhelmingly support Obi for president of Nigeria, in 2023, not based on ethnicity, but because what he represents is hope for a new Nigeria.

“Foremost Nigerian thought leader and aviation entrepreneur, as well as former Chairman/CEO, 7STAR Hangar/Airlines, Isaac Balami, captured the mood of the nation, two days ago, when he said he was endorsing Obi based on 3Cs — Competence, Credibility and Capacity.

“In terms of competence, credibility and capacity, Obi is in a world of his own. Neither Atiku nor Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC, comes close to him.

“Sincerely, Nigerians are really yearning for a Third Force Presidency due to their terrible experience under APC and PDP governments since 1999.”