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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Elder statesmen from the south east under the umbrella of Igbo Elders Consultative Forum said, on Wednesday, that they have uncovered plots by major political parties to zone their presidential position in 2023 election elsewhere other than south east.
They said they have also discovered that some Igbo sons and daughters are being used to fine-tune the plot, with a promise of a running mate to whoever is chosen as presidential candidate for any of the major political parties.
Chairman of the Forum, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, told journalists at a press conference in Abuja, on Wednesday, that south east people have unanimously taken a position on the matter, which was that they won’t accept any other position except the presidential ticket.
He said the Igbo elders have unequivocally maintained that any political party that doesn’t zone its Presidency to the south east won’t get their votes and, will ultimately lose 2023 Presidency.
“We are waiting for them, as they will meet their political waterloo this time if they insist on shortchanging the South East people this rare opportunity of producing a credible, patriotic, detribalized and dynamic president of Nigeria in 2023,” Ezeife said.
He also told journalists that measures have been put in place to identify the people working against the political interest of the south east people as they would incure the wrath of the people.
He encouraged Igbo sons and daughters who are interested in the election to declare their interest and take bold steps backed by the people’s support to achieve their dreams.
He said: “Many distinguished Nigerians and associations from across the country have not only spoken the truth, but also demonstrated high level of integrity, courage, credibility and patriotism by joining the expanding clarion call that all political parties should zone presidency to the south east in order to give the people of the area a sense of belonging, as well as reverse all the premeditated government policies and actions that are capable of pushing out the Igbos out of Nigeria.
“We encourage visionary, credible and creative presidential materials of south east zone to declare their intension for Presidency and pursue it with every sense of seriousness, vigour and commitment.
“We are very serious about this directive, and do not mean those unserious booth leakers, who are angling to be running mates to candidates from other parts of the country, as the Igbo will not take it lightly with any of our sons or daughters who accept to be running mates to any person outside the south east zone in 2023.
“It’s either we are allowed to produce the president of this country in 2023 to change the appalling narrative of continued decay, poverty, insecurity, poor governance, corruption and maladministration in Nigeria or out of it.
“Nevertheless, serious sanctions will be visited on any Igbo man or woman that sabotages this noble and patriotic decision of our people to provide for Nigeria a credible, visionary and creative President.
“Legally, morally and strategically, it is the turn of the South East to produce the next
president of the country as the other zones have been given the opportunity to serve Nigeria in that capacity.”
He made reference to section 14[3) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria which provided for Federal Character and the need to promote national unity.
Dr. Ezeife, however, was convinced that Nigeria will be the biggest beneficiary of a president of south east extraction, hence he solicited the support of all parts of the country to the quest for the south east to produce the next president in 2023.
He added: “A Nigerian President of south east extraction will bring out the Igbo spirit of ingenuity, creativity, entrepreneurial, cooperative and economic disposition to rebuild Nigeria. In addition to that, numerous well established Igbos in diaspora would be encouraged to come home and invest massively in the country to facilitate the economic recovery of Nigeria.
“Undoubtedly, south east has many distinguished professionals, technocrats, economic and political leaders that are presidential materials, who are available and ready to make Nigeria work again for the benefit of all sections of the country.
“The unity of Nigeria will be better guaranteed if the South east is allowed to produce the next President of Nigeria in 2023 for the sake of justice, equity and fairness.”
He maintained that the 2023 presidential election is the best time to fully address the injustice, marginalization and integration of the Igbos, as the Presidency is expected to rotate to the north after eight years.
“Denying South East the opportunity of producing President of Nigeria in 2023 will not only aggravate the unprecedented separatist agitations across the country, but also amount to perpetuation of injustice, deprivation, discrimination and gross marginalization of the lgbos in Nigeria,” he added.
