From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
Ahead of 2023 presidential election in Nigeria, a pressure group under the aegis of Equity Movement Turn by Turn has warned against the negative consequences, if an Igboman does not succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.
To this end, the group has appealed to former and present leaders of the country not to allow the next Nigerian President to elude the Igbo.
In a statement signed by its national chairman, Hon Gaius Ezeh; the director of Western Region, Oluwatuase Kolawole; director, Eastern Region, Hon Dan Ejianya and director, Northern Region, Ahmed Tukur, the group insisted that an Igbo man must emerge as the next president for the interest of peace and stability of the country. After the Igbo it will be zoned to North East or North Central.
The group argued that the idea of creating six geopolitical zones in the country was to ensure that the office of Nigeria President rotated among the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
It recalled that the zoning arrangement was spearheaded at a national conference by late Dr Alex Ekwueme, the former Vice President of Nigeria to ensure that no section of the country was marginalized.
“All the registered political parties entrenched the zoning arrangement in their party constitutions and commenced sharing political offices in the spirit of the six regional zoning arrangement.
“Now, it seems that our politicians have started the game of winner takes all with outright marginalization of some zones from having the opportunity to produce the President of Nigeria.
“It was in the light of this that Equity Movement Turn by Turn came on board as a pressure group; to remind politicians with the above mindset that Nigeria belongs to all of us and for Nigeria to have peace and unity, the principles of equity, justice and fair play must be observed by ensuring that political offices rotate, first among the six geopolitical zones, ” the group insisted.
The group said it participated in the discussions for the zoning of gubernatorial seat in Anambra State and achieved one hundred percent success in its efforts and had resolved to replicate same come 2023 to ensure that an Igboman succeeded President Muhammadu Buhari.
The statement explained that the main objective of the group was to ensure unity of Nigeria and its various units by urging political parties to consider zones that have not yet had the opportunity of occupying various relevant positions, to be given the chance.
“To have waited patiently for over sixty years since Nigeria’s Independence is enough proof of their belief and commitment in Nigeria, therefore, to suggest that they wait for their turn after 2023 is just a mere lullaby which cannot pacify any adult but babies. We all have time here not eternity.
“But the Igbo have firmly resolved not to continue to serve as the sacrificial lamb for Nigeria’s unity. There are obvious signs to believe that Igbo are most likely to take their exit, if not allowed their turn come 2023 and who blames them? If they cannot be trusted, they should be allowed to go. But this is not in the best interest of anyone in this country, Igbo inclusive.
“To suggest that the South East should wait is to indirectly say that they are neither needed nor wanted since no person in the right senses can be callous enough to think that the Igbo shall forever be onlookers in the affairs of a country they are part of or that any physical force can forever be used to hold them back to continue in Nigeria, ” the group concluded.