A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief Chaka Nweze, has advised the Igbo to pursue Nigeria’s presidency bid under a united country instead of supporting individuals calling for secession.
Nweze, the pioneer APC Secretary in Ebonyi, gave the advice on Wednesday in Abakliki in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The Former Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) in Ebonyi said that an Igbo presidency will provide the locus to correct some complaints from the race under the existing Nigerian nation.
“The complaints of marginalisation, ranging from political leadership, civil service, regional infrastructural development up to the entire security architecture of the country can be corrected with an Igbo Presidency under a united Nigeria.
“Several Igbo citizens are living outside the South East geopolitical zone with investments scattered across the country; so, any existence outside the Nigerian entity will be a very huge burden to manage.
The former Caretaker and Executive Chairman of Ohaozara LGA said that the Igbo should, therefore, demand for the country’s presidency for proper national cohesion and integration in its schemes.
“We should, however, realise that the presidency is not given to anyone or zone as those seeking the position need to play the necessary politics to achieve their aims.
“We, therefore, need to dialogue, negotiate, build bridges of confidence across the other geopolitical zones and above all, belong to the right national political platform,” he said.
He said that the APC offers the hope of integrating the Igbo properly into national politics and they should not continue ‘foot-dragging’ in any other party but fully embrace the ideals of the APC.
“The Igbo should, therefore, commence the search for a candidate that will turn their aspirations into reality and make other segments of the country, regret not giving the chance of presidency to them all along.
“The governors of the South East zone should commence structural building and dialogue among relevant political, social and economic stakeholders across the zone to nominate a candidate that will ‘lead the line’ in achieving these goals.”
Nweze said that Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi had wittingly built confidence with the centre (Federal Government) and had been in the forefront of integrating the Igbo in the main stream of national politics.
“He should, therefore, answer the clarion call of well-meaning Igbo to join APC so that God forbid, if president eludes us in 2023, we can be sure of it in eight years after and Nigeria will be better for it.
“His numerous infrastructural and economic strides in the state place him in a vantage position of replicating such feats if given the chance at the national level,” he said. (NAN)
