2023: Igbo presidency non-negotiable – Ohanaeze youths

Obinna Odogwu, Abakaliki

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide (OYC) has declared that the actualisation of Igbo presidency by the year 2023 is nonnegotiable.

It frowned at reports which alleged that some cabals in the All Progressives Congress (APC) have perfected plans to return power to South West region after President Buhari concludes his tenure.

The position of the Igbo youths was contained in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Okwu Nnabuike, and Deputy National PRO, Ado Osaka, which was issued to newsmen, in Abakaliki, Ebonyi, State after their stakeholders meeting yesterday.

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They said that the allegations in the media that some APC cabals at the Presidency have sealed a pact with a former governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, concerning the 2023 Presidential election would not stand if it is true.

“OYC insists that 2023 Igbo Presidency is not negotiable, and it’s our date with destiny and any manoeuvring may spell doom to the unity of the country, as the recent unjust appointments since 2015 by the Presidency resulted to the rise of Biafra agitation, and those seeking Igbo votes in 2019 across Nigeria where Igbo reside must consider handing power to Igbo for justice, equity and fairness in 2023.

“Those clamouring for restructuring should think twice, and no Northern President will restructure a system that favours the north more than the Southerners. It’s only a Southern President that will restructure Nigeria.

“Ohanaeze Youths frown at the report that some cabal in APC have perfected plans to return power to South West instead of South East immediately after President Buhari quits power, we still insists that the presidency should refute such negative plot or it will make Ndigbo to consider other political options before them in 2019.

“We are aware that irrespective of INEC officials denying Igbo their constitutional rights in some parts of Nigeria to collect their PVCs in 2015 outside Igbo land, our voting strength in Southwest is equal to that of the indigenes, even in the North. We have more than 12 million registered Igbo in northern Nigeria and five million Igbo in the South West.

OYC declared their support for the six-year single tenure proposed by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, saying it would strengthen national unity.

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“We support the single tenure of 6 years for President and Governors proposed by Sen. Ike Ekweremadu. We believe it will help to unite Nigeria than divide us.

“OYC insists that APC have not fulfilled their political promises to the people of South East, which includes the campaign Promise of President Buhari to revamp Enugu Coal mine which had been politically closed for 45 years now. Irrespective of the projects the Presidency insists it attracted to South East, but if APC continue to give priority to other zones more than South East, it may spell doom for them. APC needs Ndigbo more than Ndigbo need it”, the statement partly read.