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CHIEF NNIA NWODO, PG Ohaneze Ndigbo |
From;
Madu Ezenoha, ENUGU
The
National chairman of the deregistered United Progressives Party (UPP) who is
now a chieftain of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief
Chekwas Okorie, at the weekend revealed that some subterranean political leg
works are currently ongoing to optimize chances of Ndigbo producing President
of Nigeria in 2023.
Okorie
expressed the hope that the next presidential election in 2023 would be the
best time to produce a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction.
He
said from all indications, Igbo political stakeholders are working behind the
scene garnering support and building consensus among eminent leaders from
other tribes and zones of the country.
Okorie
who spoke to select journalists in Enugu expressed happiness at the outcome of
recent meeting of South East APC stakeholders, hosted by the Imo state
Governor, Hope Uzodinma, at Owerri.
The
stakeholders’ meeting which was attended by a former Senate President, Chief
Ken Nnamani; Minister of labour and employment, Dr Chris Ngige; Minister of
Foreign affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama; as well as Minister of Science and Technology,
Dr Ogbonnaya Onu came up with a resolution to strengthen the weight of the
party in the zone and a stake in the 2023 presidential slot with an insistence
that it was the turn of the zone.
The
chairman of defunct UPP, Okorie who described the resolutions as a right step
in the right direction said, "Here we are, 2023 is looking at us. It is
something I have been looking at. I have been one of the most optimistic Igbo
leaders who have always looked up to 2023 as our destiny.
"We
used UPP to support President Buhari’s election in 2019 with an understanding
that allowing President Buhari to complete eight year tenure will pave way for
Ndigbo to produce Nigerian President in 2023.
"The
chances of the South East producing the nation's president in 2023 are very
bright. Very prominent non Igbo opinion leaders have come out to say that for
the sake of justice, equity and fair play, 2023 is time to support Ndigbo to
produce the president of the country," he noted.
He
listed eminent personalities in support of Nigerian President of Igbo
extraction in 2023 to include Chief Edwin Clarke; former University of Port
Harcourt Vice Chancellor and Ijaw National leader, Professor Okoko;
Comrade Joseph Eva, among others from the South South zone of the country.
Others
according to him are Alhaji Balarabe Musa and Alhaji Tanko Yakata among
Northern leaders who have expressed their support for a Nigerian President of
Igbo extraction in 2023; while Ayo Adebanjo and many others from the Western
part of the country have also voiced their support.
"In
a nutshell, the quest for a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction in 2023 is
gathering momentum. It had never been like this before; the South East never
gained such support. So what leaders from the South East APC are doing now is
very commendable.
"For
us in APC in the South East zone, we need to work very hard to win Anambra
state governorship election coming up next year. If that happens, it then means
we shall have two APC controlled states in the zone".
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