From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
The Biafra Independent Movement/Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (BIM/MASSOB) has said the earliest possible time for an Igbo man to become President of Nigeria would be in 2039 when the sitting President would have completed his second tenure and the Northeast completes their own turn.
The secessionist group reiterated that its position in 1999 at the inception of the struggle has been vindicated that it will be very difficult for a president of Nigeria of Igbo extraction to materialise as a result of the systemic marginalisation and conspiracy against the Igbo nation after the Nigeria/Biafra civil war.
The BIM/MASSOB also said that those who have been campaigning for President of Nigeria of Igbo extraction are wasting their time.
A statement on Monday signed by Mazi Chris Mocha Director of information of MASSOB and Senior Special Assistant to Chief Ralph Uwazuruike founder of BIM/MASSOB on Media and Publicity advised the campaigners of Nigerian President of Igbo extraction to wait till 2039 when the sitting President and when North Central zone must have completed their own turn.
“Recall how some Igbo organisations had at various times since the return of democratic Rule in 1999 been agitating that it is the turn of the South East to produce the president of Nigeria has failed because of the systemic marginalisation and conspiracy against the South East. Even the campaign by Southeast groups for restructuring and the quest for an additional state has also failed to materialise.
Continuing, the statement read: “The real reason why our respected Igbo leaders like Dim Emeka Ojukwu, Ralph Uwazuruike and Chief Chekwas Okorie came together to form and registered All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as a political party in Nigeria was to use the platform to provide good governance to the people and also use the party platforms to push for the insertion of a referendum clauses in the 1999 Constitution as amended.
But regrettably, some politicians with tainted records and with little knowledge of why APGA was initially formed, have now hijacked the party for their selfish reasons. After using the platform to win elections, abandon it for another party.”
Adding, “Everything we told the politicians many years ago is manifesting on a daily basis including, “the conspiracy that Igbo man will not be president of Nigeria till thy kingdom come,” still stands. “Perch here, perch here, is for birds and not for human beings,” he submitted.