From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Former Governor of Enugu State, Okwesilieze Nwodo, has said the South-East would wholeheartedly support any party that will pick its presidential candidate from the region; be it the All ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) or the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the 2023 general elections.
Nwodo stated this yesterday in Abuja during the celebration of the appointment of Onyemuche Nnamani into the Police Service Commission, to represent the South East.
He lamented that the people of the South-East, have not enjoyed the dividends of democracy following one-sided appointments in the past, stressing that the 2023 plebiscite would be a game changer for the people of the zone, as they would be very careful in supporting a candidate.
The former Chairman of the People’s Democracy Party (PDP), appealed to politicians who are in the corridors of power to look within and appoint people from the zone to enable them have a sense of belonging and to give Igbo a voice in the scheme of things.
“I think we have gotten to a point in Nigeria where any Igbo person who does not defend Igbo interest now needs to be looked at again.
“I join you in appealing to our brothers in APC to help. In fact, we have gotten to a point now that the party is no longer important.
“I tell my people in PDP that if APC gives us a presidential candidate and you do not give, the way we gave PDP, Atiku and Peter Obi 95% of Igbo votes we will give the APC presidential candidate 100% of Igbo votes. We just have to be everybody brother’s keeper.
“Our party now is Igbo party. So, please, if anybody has an opportunity in appointment he or she should not forget Igbo land. We will celebrate him the way we are celebrating our own today,” he said.
He described Onyemuche as one who knows how to sustain friendship, adding that his appointment came at a very good time.
“I know people who were his customers when he was in the bank. He is still as close to them today as he is also helping them.
“Everybody is here because of their personal relationship with Onyemuche not because you are in the party with him.
“And we all appreciate him for who he is, and all of us here and many who are not here are ready to stand behind him any day because we know that any position he takes is not a position that will disgrace us. And not a position that we will be ashamed of.
“And there is no single person from that family that has not protected the family name. So, I am not surprise with the encomiums everybody is pouring on you. And I am here to stand surety that you will lift us higher,” he added.
On his part, Onyemuche who promised to deliver on his mandate as a South-East representative, vowed to use his position to unite the Igbo race within and outside his Commission.