Uche Nwosu, the Chief of Staff to former Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, has called on leaders in the South East to reach out to other parts of the country as the region campaigns for opportunity to produce the next President in 2023.
Nwosu urged Igbos not to be “forceful” in demanding the 2023 presidential slot but to work with other regions of the country to realise their ambition.
Nwosu, who was a governorship aspirant in Imo State in 2019, also noted that for Nigeria to overcome its present challenges, the country must embrace ‘equity, fairness and justice’ in its dealings with citizens.
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In a chat with THE WHISTLER in Abuja, Nwosu said that the “West, South-South, Middle Belt, the North Central, North East and the North West zones, these five other geo-political zones should come together to support anybody who emerges from the south east.”
He also disclosed that the region had long been marginalized in producing a President, adding that “it’s the turn of the South East not because we want to give it to the south east, but because it is their right, every other zone has gotten the presidential slot.
“So, for me I believe that the Presidency should come from the south east, but in coming from the south east it should not be a struggle that we think we can do alone.
” We need the different geo-political zones to also buy into the idea of allowing the region produce the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
According to him, “remember that we have six geo-political zones and in the six zones that makes up our political architecture we have the South and the North, we have the majority and minority, in the minority ethnic groups we have our brothers from the middle belt and in the South-South we also have the major ethnic groups, the Hausa Fulani, Yoruba’s and Igbos.
“And when you talk about the president of Nigeria, we’ve had a president from the North (because the rotation is between north and south), and then we have had a president from the South West; former president Olusegun Obasanjo; South South former president Goodluck Jonathan and then the North President Muhammadu Buhari; Shehu Shagari, and when you talk about the military Heads of State, we have so many of them from the North, we have to be honest and for everyone who believes in equity and in one Nigeria you will agree with me it is the turn of the south east”
This is as he insisted that “it’s a different thing when you communicate a desire to have something with a tone that reflects simplicity and not force, the manner of approach with which we reach out to the other geo-political zones will make it easier for you”
“If we approach them nicely, they will say let’s give them, but if we employ a forceful approach and abuse people, it will be difficult for us to get it.”