From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
National Forum For South East Presidency (NFSEP) has begun visits to presidential hopefuls in Igboland in readiness for 2023.
A statement by its leadership said Anyim Pius Anyim hosted the leadership of NFSEP at his residence on December 26.
As stipulated in the programme of events in a build up to getting good presidential candidates from the South East, according to the statement, NFSEP had scheduled to visit some of the prominent presidential hopefuls from the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and other political parties as a way to encourage them.
Anyim was said to have received the members of the forum at his country home, Ishiagu in Ebonyi State, where he intimated them of his quest to run for the office of the president of Nigeria.
The statement said NFSEP had plans to reach out to other presidential hopefuls from the South East to encourage them to come out with full force as attestation for their readiness.
It also said Peter Umeadi, another presidential aspirant on APGA platform, had already been visited.
“We have communicated our intention to visit others among whom are but not limited to Senator Orji Uzoh Kalu; Rochas Okorocha; Governor David Umahi; former governor Peter Obi; Ogbonnaya Onu and CBN Onwuaso.
“NFSEP is a political pressure group made up of coalition of all Nigerians in support of Igbo presidency.
“The forum is domiciled in 35 states of the federation with two diaspora chapters in Ghana and Canada. The group is neither a political party nor affiliated to any political party,” the forum said.
It said its aim is to see a Nigeria with a president of Igbo extraction from South East in 2023. It explained that it had planned to achieve it through sensitisation, mobilisation and galvanising support with advocacy.
“We plan to be routed in all the communities in Nigeria with South East Presidency 2023 offices scattered in all nooks and crannies of the country until our objective of participating in ushering in a president of Nigeria from South East is achieved.
“We will lobby all viable political parties and political stakeholders to zone their presidential tickets to the South East,” the group said.
It said it would mobilise people to form groups with administrative units at national, zonal, state, senatorial district, council areas, wards and community levels in its first phase.The forum said this would be followed by organising seminars, talk shows, rallies, consultations and visitation of stakeholders, including community, political, religious and traditional leaders.