From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
Igbo youths under the aegis of Coalition of Igbo Youth Groups yesterday in Enugu endorsed the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Prof. Peter Umeadi and presented him as the best candidate for the 2023 presidential election.
The group said it assessed all the five presidential candidates that are of Igbo extraction and found Umeadi, a former Chief Judge of Anambra state and a Law Professor at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, as most suitable for the job.
Speaking at a brief ceremony where the Coalition also gave the Life Bencher an “Icon of Humanitarian Service” Award, for his great contributions and achievements on youth empowerment and human capital development in South East and Nigeria at large, the Convener, Paschal Onyekamba said that the late Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s dream for Igbo in APGA would materialize with Umeadi.
He said, “It is our time and turn to produce Nigeria president in 2023 and by the special grace of God we have five candidates and among the five we cannot send all, we must have a consensus, we must have a choice, we must come together and say look at whom we are sending and tell Nigerians and the world that this is our candidate.
“We didn’t choose him because of any pecuniary interest, but we are doing this for the interest of Alaigbo and Nigeria. We are bringing someone, a legal luminary who reached the highest echelon of his profession, becoming the Chief Judge of his state. We’re bringing an academia, a Professor of Law. In Umeadi we have five characters we are presenting to Nigerians, a lawyer, a Judge, a professor, seasoned perfect humanitarian, a perfect gentleman and a son of the soil.”
Addressing Umeadi he said, “From today we Igbo youths are sending you and we are strongly behind you. We are going to raise financial support when the time comes, when INEC lifts ban on campaigns, we will give you support.
“This is no longer the candidacy of Professor Peter Umeadi, is now the candidacy of Igbo youths. We choose you because of your antecedent and records. As a very successful jury there was no time you were queried or summoned for corruption.”
Responding, Umeadi thanked the youth groups for voicing their support for him and assured them that he would not let them down.
Umeadi noted that Igbo was led the fight for Nigeria liberation and independence hence should receive her due in Nigeria, adding that “Ndigbo love Nigeria and live everywhere in the country and help to build those places.
“Now more than any other time, all Nigerians should support the Igbo to give Nigeria a president for eight years and let us see if Nigeria can be united and that is my promise as APGA presidential candidate, that what is uppermost in my mind is how to galvanize the ethnic groups in Nigeria together, how to become one, how to get united with each other, how to reconcile ourselves, be one, speak with one voice and go ahead to reposition Nigeria, which I say that if I become president I will be able to do in four years.
“In four years as the president, if elected under APGA, Nigeria would be put on a path that would not be easy to reverse. I can do this because I do not have any business interest or personal interest to protect.”