Judex Oloro, Calabar
The Hausa community in Cross River State has assured Ohaneze Ndigbo that they support the quest for somebody in the South East to become the President of the country in 2023.
The Supreme Leader of the Hausa and Fulani communities in the state, Alh Salisu Abba Lawan, who gave the assurance when members of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Cross River paid him a courtesy visit on Wednsday in his palace at Bogobiri area Calabar, noted that this us the first time Ndi Igbo is leading a powerful delegation to his community.
He recalled that virtually all major groups in the country have produced President since the return of democratic rule in 1999 except the East, maintaining that as we approach 2023 we should look in the direction of Igbo to lead the country in the interest of justice.
Alh. Lawan said: ‘Let me thank the Ohaneze Ndigbo for coming to strengthen the bond of friendship between Hausa and Fulani communities and the Igbo brothers living in the State.
‘We cannot claim to have a country that belongs to all of us while leaving a major component part out of the leadership of this country. I am assuring you that Hausa and Fulani communities in the state would be educated on why an Igbo should be allowed to be President of the country in 2023,’ he said.
According to him, the country must forge ahead and forget issues that brought about the civil war, regretting that since Gen Aguiyi Ironsi held power for six months after the first military coup, no Igbo has led the country.
While appreciating the enormity of talents that abound in Igboland, Sarki Lawan applauded the approach of Igbo living in the State, noting that members of his community would be sensitized and the new relationship.
On his part, President of Ohaneze Ndigbo in the State, Barr Ugorji Nwabueze, who led the Igbo delegation, said it was important for the two tribes to understand that justice demands that the north support the aspiration of the Igbos to lead the country in 2023.
Ugoji, who doubles as the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ben Ayade on non-Indegens, promised that an Igbo leadership at the highest level would be beneficial to all components parts of the country.
According to him, ‘unity demand that justice be done to the Eastern part of the country.’