F-L: Mrs. Prisca Nduka, director general of world Igbo summit group, Dr. Ifedi Okwenna and Dr. Law Mefor, during the world Igbo summit press conference at Abuja yesterday
…set to unveil roadmaps
By Jonathan Lois
Actualizing the Igbo presidency project would not be feasible without the support of other regional blocs, the World Igbo Summit Group, organizers of the world Igbo summit said yesterday.
The group said it was reaching out to groups such as Arewa Consultative forum in the northern part of the country, the Afenifere in the south west and the Niger Delta in the south south region amongst others on how the south east can produce the next president of the country in 2023 general elections.
The Director General of the group, Dr. Ifedi Okwenna made the disclosure at a press conference in Abuja.
He said that the meeting would hold during the 6th World Igbo Summit organized by the group, the Igbo Renaissance Centre of Gregory University Uturu, Abia State, and the leaders of the Igbo collectives, holding this Friday at the President Goodluck Jonathan Auditorium of the University.
He said: “Indeed, considering our current and determined quest for a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction, we should use this opportunity to show strong leadership in reshaping and resetting the nation and in removing all obstacles and unjust structures that enthrone injustice, inequity, lopsidedness and maladministration in Nigeria.
“This is the time our voice and demand for restructuring Nigeria and networking for our Presidential aspiration should be loudest.
“In appreciating the current challenges enumerated above and the urgency for Ndigbo to equally reset and exploit the opportunities therein, the 6th World Igbo Summit, is being organized to harvest ideas and options going forward.
“The 6th World Igbo Summit shall have in attendance great sons and daughters of Ala-Igbo in the seven Igbo speaking states, Ndigbo in all parts of Nigeria and those in the Diaspora.
“It shall draw participation from Igbo leadership in Government, Politics, business, organized sector, captains of Industry, youths and women groups. Representatives of other Social Cultural groups such as PANDEF, Afenifere, World Yoruba Summit Group, Middlebelt Forum, Arewa Consultative Forum etc. shall attend and deliver goodwill messages.
“If we tell you that we are not interested in the presidency of this country, then, we might not be telling you the truth. In all honesty, every man needs power because we have been out of power for a very long time although we may be divergent in the approach in most cases. World Igbo is a power house and all we come there to do is to breed ideas..as a matter of fact, there will be executive session where all the presidential Aspirants are going to meet and quietly discuss on the way forward. That is first thing that wi come before the conference itself starts.
“In most cases, we can’t bring all other together if we are playing individualistic politics but all of them have agreed to come for form a roadmap. Nobody is out there to fight anybody. What we need is how do we engage Nigerians. We have come to realize that Igbo nation cannot be President on itself. We need other people. That’s part of the discussion. Thanks that’s why we have other cultural groups attending to this year’s edition.
“All we need is the intellectual power, better ideas, the strategy to relate with the Niger Delta, our brothers in the south west, the area groups because we know basically that we can’t go and fight for the presidency, boxing Nigerians to give us president. We definitely have to work and network with them then benefit.
“We as Igbo must understand that for us to do it irrespective of the party you belong, everybody go your party, fighting because at the end of the day, no cultural groups give you ticket. It is the party that will give you the ticket to contest election. It is only when we at our respective parties that we can now say we are ready for it. So, I think, basically, this is part of the reason why we are meeting. We are removing our personal interest, come to the table and look at the pathway.”
Okwenna further revealed that the summit will witness the unveiling of a research document on how the Igbo will realize their president ambition.
“As a matter, there is a research already done on the best way to achieve Nigeria’s presidency of Igbo extraction. That research document will be presented at the executive session where everyone will look at. That’s why we are partnering with a university.
“The Presidential Aspirants will arrive there as Igbo sons. We have to network to be president”, he said.
He added that the Summit will be declared open by the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Nnia Nwodo while the former Governor of old Abia State and current Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onuh will deliver the Summit keynote address.
