2023: Pick candidates from South-East, group urges political parties

A socio-political organisation,Ndi-Igbo United Forum (NUF), has called on political parties in the country to zone their presidential tickets to the South-East for 2023 poll.

President-General of the group, Chief Godson Ezenagu, said  by allowing candidates from the South East to contest, political parties would engender peace, tranquility and development of the country.

“The only agenda before the  South-East geo-political zone is to produce the next president. It is wrong for anyone, or any zone to think that Igbo are not ready; Igbo politicians are qualified and positioned to transform the country for good,” he said.

He countered the assertion by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, that Igbo could only become President by collapsing APGA into the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ezenagu said rather than seek the collapse of APGA, APC should focus on canvassing for more membership in the South-East, and jettison the idea that it was the only party that Igbo presidential ambition could be achieved.

“That is not true, Igbo are free to belong to political parties of their choices.

I recall that under the principle of equity, natural justice and good conscience, Nigerians in 1999 placated the South-West by presenting two presidential candidates from the zone. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

“Nigerians also placated the South-South by giving massive support to former President Goodluck Jonathan. Since Nigerians are advocating for peace, tranquility, love and progress, we have to look back at the zoning system and allow the Igbo to produce the next president,” he said.

Ezenagu argued that zoning the presidential ticket would further make the agitations for Biafra in the South-East to fizzle out.

He, however, advised Igbo and their leaders to develop more interest in national politics and work together to achieve their goal of a president by 2023.