Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has said the South-West region lacks the moral standard to aspire to produce President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor after producing Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (1999-2003) and Vice President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo, (2015-2023).
The Igbo socio-cultural group made this known in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo World, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro.
According to the group, Igbo are favored by all standards to produce the next Nigerian President come 2023.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo urged Igbo presidential aspirants to reach out to all political parties and geopolitical zones and build bridges of friendship and support.
The statement partly reads: “The South West has no strong claim for presidency in 2023. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo led Nigeria as President from 1999 to 2007 while Professor Yemi Osibanjo will conclude 8 years as Vice President from 2015 to 2023. So, 2023 will be the turn of the Igbo to occupy the exalted office of the president.
“Ohanaeze condemns attempts to blackmail the Igbo with activities of Biafra agitators resurrect the rhetorical questions about the activities of other ethnic militia’s activities in the past. Did the activities of OPC stop Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s emergence in 1999? Did the activities of the Niger Delta militants stop Dr Goodluck Jonathan from emerging the President in 2011? Did Boko Haram insurgents and bandits stop General Muhammadu Buhari in 2015?
“Since the activities of these groups did not stop the people from the aforementioned areas from emerging Presidents of Nigeria at different times, the rise of self-determination agitators from the South East will not stop the zone from producing the president in 2023. Igbo Presidency in 2023 will rather assuage the burning flames of Biafra agitation and put Nigeria back on track for greater heights.”