By Nnanna Kalu (Abia State Correspondent, in Igbere)
Worried by the possibility of losing the 2023 Presidential slot presumed to be the turn of the Igbos of the East of Southern Nigeria, prominent political leaders in Igboland and from across the various political parties, converged at Igbere, in Bende Local Government Area of Abia state, to deliberate on modalities of to get the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other political platforms to zone the 2023 presidency to the southeast geo-political zone.
The Igbo political leaders who attended the bipartisan conclave insist that the Ndigbo deserves as of right, the 2023 Presidential slot in the interest and spirit of justice and national harmony. The Igbo politicians argued that since the rotatory presidency practice commenced in 1999 following the June 12 debacle, only the South East was yet to produce a president of Igbo extraction.
The leaders issued a communique at the end of the regional meeting which was signed by the Chief host, Senator Orji Uzor Kanu (Senate Chief Whip), former Senate President and ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyi, former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu; Deputy Majority Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon. Nkeiru Onyejeocha, Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu and APC national chieftain and pioneer national chairman of APGA and UPP, Chief Chekwas Okorie (Ojeozi Ndigbo).
The leaders said the southeast zone, over the years, have endured marginalization yet have shown more faith and commitment to the unity and national cohesion of Nigeria in all spheres, which entitles the zone to the 2023 presidency of the country. They however pleaded with other nationalities in Nigeria who are equally laying claims to the top job to show understanding and support the Igbos to enjoy their natural political turn of the presidency.
The summit communique reads thus: “Political leaders of the southeast across all political persuasions met at Igbere, Abia State, on January 5, 2021, to discuss the political future of the geopolitical zone vis-à-vis the 2023 general election.
“The meeting recalled that Nigerians across political, ethnic, and religious divides fought hard, long, and collectively to enthrone the current democratic dispensation as the surest way to engender national development and guarantee a just and equitable society where every section of the country enjoys a sense of belonging.
“The meeting observed that the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has rotated between Northern and Southern Nigeria and among the various geopolitical zones. Thus, the South West and South-South geopolitical zones in the southern part of the country have produced the President of Nigeria. Hence as power is expected to rotate to the South in 2023, the meeting noted that the South East is the only zone in the South that is yet to produce a President of Nigeria in the current democratic dispensation.
“The meeting further observed that the people of the South East have continued to demonstrate their commitment to the unity and development of the country. Not only has the geopolitical zone actively supported the emergence of the Nigerian President of other geopolitical extractions, but the people are also known to be major agents of development and heavy investors outside their zone and often the next in population after the indigenes in any state of Nigeria. Our well-pronounced presence and investments in every nook and cranny of the country represent the firmest and most practical demonstration of faith in the unity, peace, and continued corporate existence of the country, for where a man’s treasure is, there his heart lies also.
“In view of the above and after exhaustive and incisive deliberations, South East political leaders resolved to:
“Recommit ourselves to the deepening of the nation’s democracy as the surest way of fast-tracking national development and building an egalitarian society where no man is oppressed for reasons of his class, ethnic, religious or political affiliation and background.
“Implore Nigerians across political, ethnic, religious, and geopolitical divides and persuasions to support the people of the southeast geopolitical zone to produce a Nigerian President of southeast extraction as a mark of good faith and to promote justice and national harmony. For emphasis, we deem this very important in giving every part of the country a sense of belonging and in promoting national unity and solidarity. It is the loudest reassurance of equality of all parts and that the country indeed belongs to all members of the Nigerian commonwealth
“Consequently implore all the political parties to cede their presidential tickets in the 2023 general election to the South East in the interest of justice, equity and national unity. To make good our demand and reciprocate such good faith, we have decided, as a geopolitical zone with a substantial presence in every part of the country to give a block vote and throw our full weight behind any major political party, particularly the APC and PDP, that zones its presidential ticket to the South East in 2023 general election. We resolved to work for such a party irrespective of our different individual political parties.
“To emphasize that what we seek is a Nigerian President of southeast extraction, one that will work to further unite and develop every part of the country. Such a President will be the President of all Nigerians irrespective of their political, ethnic, and religious backgrounds, ensuring that all citizens and every part of the country are given a sense of belonging and treated with the utmost sense of justice.
"Such was the dream of the founding fathers of this great nation wherefore they declared that though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand. For the same reason, they also committed to building a just nation where no man is oppressed so that Nigeria may be blessed with peace, plenty, and prosperity". NNL.
