Step down now for Igbo candidates, IWA tells Atiku, Tambuwal, others
Admin l Friday, April 08, 2022
LAGOS, Nigeria – President of Igbo World Assembly, Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze has said that the South East will not accept Vice Presidential slot in the 2023 election, warning the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and any party contemplating that to perish the idea.
He called on presidential aspirants from the North, like Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Aminu Tambuwal, Dr. Abubakar Saraki and others to show patriotism by stepping down for PDP presidential aspirant from South East.
Anakwenze who was speaking in Lagos pleaded with relevant stakeholders, party faithful and delegates to throw their weight behind a presidential aspirant from the South East in demonstration of justice, equity and fairness to the people of the zone.
He said the party should use the 2023 Presidency to reconcile Ndigbo into Nigeria political project. This election should be strictly for presidential aspirants from South East Geo political zone (Igbo speaking state).
Rotational Presidency, of which Southeast Nigeria has been marginalized and deprived for over 33 years of military rule and 24 years of democratic rule. “We blamed the rising national insecurity on this marginalization and injustice. Nigeria can come out of this if justice, fairness and equity is given a chance in 2023 presidential election”, he said.
He said that patriotic Nigerians at home and abroad who understand the fundamental issues in 2023 Presidency understand also the historic imperative of zoning the Presidency to the South East, the last zone and only the zone left out in Southern Nigeria in the First round of the Presidency across the country.
“It is politically wise and reasonable, morally justifiable and defensible and patriotically persuasive PDP to zone the Presidency to the South East”, he said.
Anakweze said, South Easterners are insisting on the Presidency and are not ready to take the vice presidential slot. “We state that it’s either the presidency or nothing for the South East in 2023”, he declared.
” We are reiterating our position about Presidency of Nigeria of South East extraction. I am a simple man that is driven by the desire to give the youth, the nation’s children what we had growing up, a sense of self-worth and the belief that the sky is the limit when it comes to the ability to excel.
” Our country is snappishly divided across sections. No one group identifies itself as Nigerian”. It’s time we reflect on the great Martin Luther King Juniors quote; we either succeed together as brothers and sisters, or perish together as fool. ”
Also, a consultant Pharmacy, Dr. Oliver Osadebe Anam expressed support of Igbo in the Diaspora for presidential aspirant from the South-east.
“As a practical demonstration of faith in a United Nigeria, no other group comes close to the Igbos. Igbos are the people who settle everywhere in Nigeria, build successful businesses and invest their money in physical development of the host communities, building houses and other structures that they know they cannot take with them if they have to leave. We wish other Nigerians would emulate them.
” Ndi-Igbo waited patiently and cooperatively, for overwhelming majority of Ndigbo do not believe in secession or separatism from Nigeria. A Nigerian President of Igbo extraction will focus on what can be done to improve Nigeria for all people, instead of arguing over what is impossible in a united Nigeria.”