2023: Ohanaeze Urges South-East Presidential Aspirants To Play Politics Without Bitterness

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Friday, called on various south-easterners that already declared interests to run for the 2023 presidency to play politics without bitterness.

The pan-Igbo group also praised the aspirants for ‘their doggedness and brilliant blueprints for a better Nigeria’.

The position of Ohanaeze was contained in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Alex Ogbonnia.

Ogbonnia said whatever the permutations in the 2023 presidential election might be, ‘it is the turn of the South East of Nigeria to produce a president for the Federal Republic of Nigeria’.

He regretted that ‘those who prefer crises to peace and unity of the country are bent on unjust and invidious machinations to deprive the South East the opportunity to produce a president for Nigeria’.

He expressed hope over the capacity of a Nigerian president of South-East extraction in transforming Nigeria in all ramifications.

Quoting him, “Nigerians know that with a South-East president of Nigeria, power outages will be over; several companies, groups and individuals that had turned their backs on Nigeria will come back; Nigeria will become a competence-based progressive society.

“There will be prosperity and full employment for all Nigerians; the security challenges across the country will disappear; the position of Nigeria in terrorism, corruption, fragile states and other derogatory indices will dramatically change.”

While commending South-East presidential aspirants who already declared, Ohanaeze urged more interested ones to declare their intention publicly.

Ohanaeze however urged the aspirants or their cronies to desist from ‘directing unwarranted attacks against one another’.

Ogbonnia said, “They have sufficient work to do by directing their attacks on those northerners who in 2015 and 2019 claimed it was the turn of the North only to turn around to debunk zoning and rotation for 2023.”

The president general of Ohanaeze, Ambassador George Obiozor, in the statement, thanked Chief Edwin Clark and all members of PANDEV; Chief Ayo Adebanjo and the Afenifere; the members of Middle Belt led by Dr Pogu Bitrus;Forum of Northern Elders for Unity (FNEU) led by Alh. Baba Mala; Yoruba Ronu Leadership Forum (YRLF) led by Mr Akin Malaolu; the Arewa Support Group for Igbo Presidency led by Mustapha Imam; the leadership of South-East Muslims Elders Council, (SEMEC); Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, General Ishola Williams and Northern Civil Society Organisations for endorsing a president of Nigeria from South-East.

THE WHISTLER reports that Professor Kingsley Moghalu, Sen Anyim Pius Anyim, Engr Dave Umahi, Mr Peter Obi, Chief Rochas Okorocha, Sen Orji Uzor Kalu, Chief Sam Ohuabunwa, Chief Baywood Ibe and Dr Nwachukwu Anakwenze have declared interests to contest the 2023 presidential election under the platforms of various political parties.