Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, on Monday reminded the former Vice President of Nigeria, and presidential hopeful, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, that it was time he voluntarily quits partisan politics and take rightful place in history as an Elder Statesman.
Chidi-Ibeh led Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, stated this in a statement signed by the Secretary-General of the group, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and made available to journalists in Abakaliki.
The Igbo group noted that Atiku’s boastful stance of winning the 2023 PDP Presidential ticket, was a clear show of desperation, adding that Atiku had misread the mood of the nation ahead of 2023, and that the miscalculation may retire him from partisan politics in 2023.
The group acknowledged that Atiku has the constitutional rights to aspire to for the office of President in 2023, but pointed out that the former President’s age and region are odds are against him.
“He should not fight dirty or appear desperate for the presidency, rather it’s time for him to voluntarily quit partisan politics and take his rightful place in history as an Elder statesman without being dishonored and disgraced”.
“We appreciate the unity of purpose demonstrated by the middle belt and southern leaders, by speaking the truth and establishing the fact that based on equity and fairness in the spirit of one brotherhood ( Nigeria ) that 2023 should be exclusively reserved for the Igbo, to halt the disintegration adherents and factors threatening the corporate existence of Nigeria beyond 2023. Based on this circumstance on the ground, any promotion of northern continuation after 8 years of President Buhari from any individual, Is callous, voracious and selfish” the group noted.
Ohaneze stated that Ndigbo had expected Atiku to support a younger person for the 2023 presidential race.
“In 2019, Ndigbo showed enough loyalty to the PDP and Atiku Abubakar, and the present predicaments and penalties facing the southeast today, was the 2019 Igbo support given to Atiku and PDP. But in 2023, the Igbo will dump PDP if Atiku wins the PDP ticket.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo in alliance with other ethnic groups will ensure that any political party that refuses to zone their presidential ticket to the south will suffer in the 2023 presidential election, If Atiku continues, he will surely taste the venom of Nigerians in the PDP primaries and disgrace that awaits him”, Ohaneze noted.