The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, the South East’s largest socio-political youth body, has requested former President Goodluck Jonathan to abandon his presidential ambitions.
In a statement issued by its President General, Goodluck Ibem, in response to reports that the former president abandoned the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in favor of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, for his presidential ambition, the group urged him to support the call for Southeast presidency.
The coalition questioned why Jonathan would harbor ambitions to return to Ask Rock while the South Easterners who had previously backed him are fighting for the president.
The statement reads partly, “We are really surprised that despite the unalloyed support of the people of South-East to Dr Jonathan, he is aspiring to be Nigerian President when the current mood of the nation is for an Igbo man to become president in 2023.
“The first person we expect to support and champion the course of Igbo presidency is Dr. Goodluck Jonathan having benefited immensely from the unalloyed support of the people of South East”.
The group alleged that several Igbos were killed while others lost their properties while they were supporting the former president, saying it is time for Jonathan to reciprocate the support.
“Now is the time for Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to reciprocate the good gestures of the people of South East by coming out openly to support the people of the region to produce Nigerian President come 2023,” it added.