The apex Igbo group, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Monday, noted that only a southern president can rebuild the Northern part of the country.
Engr. Chidi Ibe led Ohaneze, stated this in a release signed by the Secretary-General of the group, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro.
Director of Publicity and Advocacy of the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, while delivering a keynote address at the maiden Maitama Sule Lecture Series organized by the students’ wing of the Coalition of Northern Groups, on Saturday, claimed that the north was in the process of rebuilding itself and was not prepared to play second fiddle in a nation where it clearly enjoys numerical strength.
He said, “We will lead Nigeria the way we have led Nigeria before whether we are President or Vice President, we will lead Nigeria. We have the majority of the votes and democracy says vote whom you want.
“Why should we accept a second class position when we know we can buy a form and contest for first class and we will win?
However, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has cautioned the leadership of NEF to desist from the pursuit of abnormalities capable of sinking the unity of the country on the altar of ethnicity and nepotism.
The group urged NEF to place the survival and restructuring of the country above their own selfishness.
Ohaneze, urged the Northern group to support the rotational presidency in 2023 as attempts to thwart it may led to the disintegration of the country.
He noted: “It’s obvious that the North cannot offer remedies to the myriad of problems destroying the region, especially, poverty, Boko Haram insurgency, terrorism, and banditry which was a product of the self-made Northern political weapons designed for capturing the 2015 Presidency.
“It’s obvious that the choice of the North has drawn the nation backwards and in disaster, President Buhari’s Presidency has failed the North but favors southwestern Nigeria in projects and empowerment opportunities.
“The southwest felt marginalized during Jonathan’s Presidency in appointments and political positions. They cunningly and craftily used General Muhammadu Buhari to change the status quo in the power equation in 2015 and strategically occupied sensitive positions that have today translated into landmark projects for the Yorubas, while the North is ravaged by insecurity and poverty”.
“Only a Southern Presidency from the IGBO BLOC will care for the North and redeem her from maladies and poverty ravaging the region perpetually.
“Northerners since 1960 are traditional allies of the East, with the presence of Igbo in every nook and cranny of every community and town in the 19 Northern states. Igbo presidency will revamp the dwindling fortunes of the North the zone ascends the Presidency by 2023.