The Chairman, Board of Trustees (BOT) of Ndi-gbo United Forum (NUF) Chief Chinedu Mba has reiterated the call for non-negotiability of Nigerian President of Southeast extraction come 2023.
He made the call in Abuja during a strategic meeting he held with a cross section of Northern and Southwest leaders.
Chief Mba who traced the story of Igbo struggle for proper and practical reintegration since after the civil war that produced No Victor, No Vanquish slogan that has not really been activated noted that the Igbo of Southeast have not felt the reign of power democratically, especially with the latest 1999-2019 democratic experience and experiment.
He stated that the meeting was one of the steps being taken to build stronger and enduring bridges with a view to letting the rest of Nigeria see reasons and strongly identify with the political desire of Southeast come 2023.
According to Mba, the Presidential election in 2023 should be made to reflect the candidacy of 2019 whereby the two major political parties fielded only Northerners and appreciated the leaders across North and South that have openly spoken in support of the Southeast project of Nigerian President of Southeast extraction, noting that with the growing support, the project was achievable and deliverable.
Chief Mbah further advised the political parties to do all within their powers and structure to ensure that their flag bearers are Igbos of Southeast stressing that anything short of that won’t be acceptable.
On fear of Igbo cohesion and possible emergence of multiple candidates for presidency, he said it’s the best and a sign of seriousness as only one candidate each will be produced by political parties.
He asserted that Igbo will not be the first to have many candidates as “Chief Olu Falae, Chief Obasanjo, Chief Gani Fawehnmi, Chief Bola Ige contested among themselves. Furthermore, President Buhari, Alhaji Atiku, Mr Ndanusa, etc also contested amongst themselves”.
With regards to the gale of defections, the Chairman of BOT unequivocally submitted that NUF is unperturbed about who’s jumping ship, who just jumped and those waiting to jump in veiled reference to the recent defection of Ebonyi State Governor, Engr Dave Umahi from PDP to APC.
“The interest of Ndigbo which NUF represents as a sociopolitical organisation is to work with and partner with political parties to see to the emergence of Ndigbo as their candidates”.
He disabused the notion that Igbos lack deep political assimilation and cohesion and challenged Nigerians and political parties to throw the bones to the dog and watch how it would do justice to the bones.
Chief Mba warned that no Igbo man or woman should ever and even consider position of Vice-president as it’s not part of the deal in any form and cautioned about the dire consequences of such move “because such fellow will be treated as saboteur and will never have a landing right or a place called home in Igboland”.
“All efforts and energy are geared towards Presidency and not Vice-presidency because NUF will mobilize Igbo Youths against such sacrilegious act of subversion”.
Chief Mba assured at the meeting that NUF and other organizations will mobilize Igbos during registration exercise with a view to massively turning out to vote during elections and also urged political and opinion leaders to intensify consultations in this respect.
Responding on behalf of the stakeholders, Alhaji Mustapha Umar advised Igbos to put out their best for the contest, educate her people against voting apathy and carry other sections of the country along.
He pledges the support of the groups for Nigerian President of Igbo extraction come 2023 and urged Nigerians especially the political class to support Igbo President Project in the interest of justice, equity and fairness.