The apex Igbo socio-political group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has revealed why its have not endorsed any candidate for the 2023 presidential election.
WITHIN NIGERIA recalls that the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere endorsed Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party.
Afenifere’s leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, had on Tuesday endorsed Obi, adding that the South-East deserved a shot at the presidency based on equity and the need to unite the country.
Spokesperson for Ohanaeze, Chief Alex Ogbonnia said, the Igbo group had yet to endorse any candidate because such a decision that would affect the Igbo, as a democratic ethnic group, ought to be taken in consultation with Igbo interest groups.
Ogbonnia said, “Ohanaeze’s modus operandi is clearly different from that of Afenifere. You know the Igbo are a very democratic set of people, so, we usually call a meeting of a wider Igbo assemblage and we look at the issue so that when we take a decision and an endorsement, it will be seen to be carrying everyone along.
“That is why we have not endorsed any (candidate) even when we know where we are going. We must call a meeting of all Igbo interest groups and we look at everything so that if we say something, it will carry the weight of the whole Igbo assemblage,” its spokesperson.”
Ohanaeze said the Igbo knew where they were going but did not disclose who among the presidential candidates of the various political parties would be endorsed.
He said, “The North has no right to come back again after eight years, just as I am opposed to (Bola) Tinubu. It is not the right of the South-West to come and claim the presidency. If we want peace in Nigeria. We want equity, justice, if we want to be united, we are talking of rotation, we are talking of federal character.
“It has gone to the North, now to the South. Should it come to the South to the region that has had it with (former president Olusegun) Obasanjo for eight years, with (Prof) Yemi Osinbajo in eight years as vice-president? The South-South has had it with (former president) Jonathan. Is the South-East not part of Nigeria to have that equity?
Discussion about this post