2023: Ezeife,Obi, Chikwe, others brainstorm on how Igbo could ascend presidency
Election
●As Yoruba youths shortlist 11 Igbo men
SpecialAdviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan on Inter-Party Affairs, SenatorBen Ndi Obi, yesterday, said that Ndigbo might not be able to achieve their2023 presidential aspiration if they fail to build political bridges across thegeopolitical zones in the country.
This is evenas an elder statesman and former governor of Anambra State, Dr ChukwuemekaEzeife, said that Igbo leaders would reach out to the leaders and people ofother zones appealing to them to support the aspiration of Ndigbo for the sakeof equity and fairness.
Senator Obi,at a summit organized by Global Movement for Igbo President 2023 in Awka, theAnambra State capital, themed: Actualizing 2023 Nigeria’s Igbo Presidency – TheWay Forward, listed some steps which must be taken by Ndigbo to actualize theirnoble target. The group is led by Kennedy Iyiere.
Theex-lawmaker said that there was also a strong need to reach out to the politicalparties and make their leaders see reasons to field Igbo people for the 2023presidential election just as it was done for the South West in 1999.
Obi said: “Forthe Igbo presidency to be realised come 2023, the two major political parties,that is, the ruling All Progressives Congress and the main opposition party,the Peoples Democratic Party, must zone their presidential tickets to the SouthEast zone and allow Nigerians choose from whoever they want.
“Mobilisingour people to be on the same page and speak with one voice on the sole projectrather than having different demands and agitations outside the call for anIgbo President, so that we shall not be looked upon as a confused people.”
The formergovernor, Ezeife, in his speech, revealed that some Yoruba youths werealready working in support of Nigeria’s president of Igbo extraction.
“We shallsend our Steering Committee members to Bola Tinubu and Northern aspirants tosee reasons why Igbo should produce president and have a rethink.
“Yorubayouths are processing and profiling 11 names from South East and will bring out3 from the three prominent political parties”, he revealed.
FormerMinister of Aviation, Ambassador Kema Chikwe, in an address delivered on herbehalf by Mrs Nnenna Aladum, said that it was important for Ndigbo to startbuilding robust and stronger relationship with other tribes in the country inorder to have a smooth sail to the presidency in 2023.
Chikwe said:“Population counts a lot in political and elective processes, so if it becomesan only Igbo affair, can the Igbo’s make the presidency? So, integration ofother parts of the country by building a good relationship, having an understandingwith them and counting on their support is very needful.
“The person aspiring for Igbo presidency must possess many outstanding qualities like being knowledgeable in the Nigerian culture and must have compassion for the Nigerian people.”
