Ndigbo restate readiness for 2023 presidency

Political, traditional, and religious leaders in the South East have declared Ndigbo’s readiness to provide Nigeria with quality leadership that would bail it out of current political and economic quagmire come 2023.

At the first ‘handshake’ of presidential aspirants from the zone, organised by the Southeast for President 2023 Movement (SEFORP2023), in Enugu yesterday, the stakeholders submitted that nothing else would assuage the people better than the presidency.

Four contenders, including Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, Prof. Peter Umeadi, Alhaji Yahaya Ndu and Godswill Nwankwo, participated in the event geared at building fraternity among them ahead of the poll.

In his remarks, former Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, stated that Ndigbo must not allow anything that could make it lose the support of other sections of the country for the advocacy.

Emphasising that a people, who had added value wherever they existed in the country, could do more if given executive power, noting that the failure to allow the Igbo take their pride of place was the missing link and part of the problems facing the nation.

On the need for unity, the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) ex-vice chancellor observed: “In unity, we have synergy. It is also because of this synergy principle and reality that is embedded in unity that has made many of us unapologetic defenders of one Nigeria. Unity is what makes all things possible.

“We are Ndigbo and there is something about this quest for the Nigerian President of Igbo extraction. If we look at the entire history of our country, we will see that the region that is least favoured with regards for tenure of presidency or leadership of this country is the South East.

“So, when we want to address that just like some of the maxims of SEFORP, we have to talk about social justice, equity and fair play. There is no way that one can talk about having a virile country that can withstand the test of time, economy and polity without social justice. It is not possible. Only social justice can make that possible.”

To National Coordinator of SEFORP2023, Rev. Okechukwu Obioha, the fellowship was to debunk the notion that Igbo were not united politically, adding: ‘Henceforth, the aspirants shall come together to interact quarterly till the presidential election of April 2023 is conducted.”

He claimed that the existence of agitating groups like the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) was due to persistent injustices and non-implementation of the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation (3Rs) mantra, insisting that the marginalisation of Ndigbo had not been addressed since the end of the civil war.