From Okey Sampson, Umuahia

The 6th World Igbo Summit which took place at the Gregory University Uturu, Abia State, from December 18-19, 2020 has called for a Nigerian president of South East extraction and the restructuring of the country for the overall development of its component parts.

The Summit which theme was “Enduring Future for Ndigbo: Expectations and Challenges”, was organized to bring together Igbo elders and leaders minds “to x-ray the historic and contemporary realities in Nigeria today, the impact of COVID-19 Pandemic, the EndSARS phenomenon and its resetting agenda on the socioeconomic and political landscape of Nigeria, and proffer options to achieving the set targets for Ndigbo going forward”.

The aim of the Summit according to the organizers was to reawaken the Igbo consciousness and to ensure that Ndigbo become more organized and cohesive, making their voices and demands for restructuring Nigeria and networking for Presidency of Igbo extraction, loudest.

In a communiqué issued after a two-day deliberation, the Summit resolved as follows:

“As Ndigbo, we shall continuously seek for a system or polity that guarantees and secures our social, political and economic interest in Nigeria, based on equality of citizenship, equity and justice.

“That we shall diligently and boldly work hard to convince other Nigerians to support Igbo’s quest to become the President of Nigeria as 2023 is the right time for Ndigbo to occupy the seat of the Presidency of Nigeria.

To this end, the summit therefore urges igbo politicians to ensure that their respective political parties produce candidates of igbo estraction as presidential candidate of their respective political parties.

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“We call Igbo legislators in the National Assembly to seek collaboration with members from other zones to amend the Electoral Act to accommodate a provision that compels INEC to ensure rotation clause in parties constitution, as a requirement for registration, while all our sons and daughters in any political party strive to ensure “rotation of Presidency” Clause in their party constitution.

“The Summit urge Ndigbo to remain politically active and conscious to ensure that the about 26 million registered voting strength of Ndigbo all over Nigeria are effectively mobilized, through regular voter education to strengthen the capacity of the zone to negotiate and ultimately win the Presidency.

“That Ndigbo know that they can only realize their aspiration through persuasion of other Nigerians and are therefore ready and are engaging other Nigerians and people, and are not antagonistic and abusive as some people are wrongly asserting.

“The summit reaffirmed the urgent need for restricting of Nigeria to allow for growth and development in line with resolutions of the 2014 National Conference and The Awka declaration of Ndigbo on restructuring of Nigeria.

“The Summit acknowledge the fact that Ndigbo have substantial investments and is doing business in various parts of the country, we call on the Federal Government to ensure the security of lives and property of all Nigeria, particularly Ndigbo, as they are usually the main target of hoodlums in times of crisis”.

Those who attended the Summit which held both physically and virtual were former Chief of General Staff/Vice President of Nigeria, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe Rtd; President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Nnia Nwodo;  Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onuh and former Senate President and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.

Others include General (Sen) Ike Nwachukwu, Prof, Joe Irukwu; Prof George Obiozor, Prof Ihechukwu Madubuike, Professor Greg Ibe and Iyom Josephine Anenih among others.