Sahara Reporters
The apex socio-cultural Igbo organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has said the next President of Nigeria to emerge in 2023 will come from the South-East.
The group also stated that the region will not fall for the blackmail of political enemies using the Biafra agitation in the region against it.
Ohanaeze enumerated diverse agitation and militia groups that emanated from other regions which did stop the ambition of their people to rule the country.
According to Vanguard, it stated that the movement of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) did not prevent Olusegun Obasanjo from becoming Nigeria’s President nor did the Niger Delta militia groups stop Goodluck Jonathan from becoming Nigeria’s leader.
The group also said Boko Haram insurgency in the North was not used against President Muhammadu Buhari when he wanted to become the President.
It then reiterated that there are no activities or agitations from the South-East that can be used against the region from fielding the President to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
The group in a statement signed by its Secretary-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo World, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, condemned what he termed as attempts by critics of Ndigbo to blackmail her with the activities of Biafran agitators over Igbo presidency.
It said, “The South-West has no strong claim for the presidency in 2023. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo led Nigeria as President from 1999 to 2007 while Professor Yemi Osibanjo will conclude 8 years as Vice President from 2015 to 2023. So, 2023 will be the turn of the Igbo to occupy the exalted office of the president.
“Ohanaeze condemns attempts to blackmail the Igbo with activities of Biafra agitators resurrect the rhetorical questions about the activities of other ethnic militia’s activities in the past. Did the activities of OPC stop Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s emergence in 1999? Did the activities of the Niger Delta militants stop Dr Goodluck Jonathan from emerging the President in 2011? Did Boko Haram insurgents and bandits stop General Muhammadu Buhari in 2015?
“Since the activities of these groups did not stop the people from the aforementioned areas from emerging Presidents of Nigeria at different times, the rise of self-determination agitators from the South-East will not stop the zone from producing the president in 2023. Igbo Presidency in 2023 will rather assuage the burning flames of Biafra agitation and put Nigeria back on track for greater heights.”
Ohanaeze Ndigbo also tasked Igbo presidential aspirants to reach out to all political parties and geopolitical zones and build bridges of friendship and support ahead of the 2023 election.
