Why Do You Want Our Votes? Ndigbo Invite Buhari, Atiku For Debate
Ahead of the 2019 presidential election, the Igbo ethic group has invited two key aspirants in the race – President Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar – to speak at a summit on why they need the votes of people from the South East.
An Igbo think-tank group known as “Nzuko Umunna” has called on President Buhari, Atiku, alongside notables such as Professor Wole Soyinka and President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, to participate in the summit.
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The group said it was significant to stage the summit so as to set an agenda that will inform the peoples’ decision in the presidential election that comes up in February, 2019.
The summit, which has been billed to hold on November 19 at the Shell Hall, MUSON Centre, Lagos, is themed “Nigeria beyond Oil”.
The convener, Mr Ngozi Odumuko, who was behind the ‘Hand shake across the Niger’ summit that held on January 11, 2018, has tagged the coming summit “Hand shake across Nigeria”, saying it will be an extension of the previous event.
Odumuko said the summit will “bring together the various thought leaders of the component regions to articulate progressive ideas that could foster national integration and development especially as we approach the 2019 elections and also avail an opportunity for thought leaders and socio-cultural organisations to constructively interrogate the presidential candidates of selected political parties on their plans, programmes and policies before the elections.”
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The convener revealed that Professor Soyinka will deliver the keynote address as President Buhari and former VP Atiku are expected to speak on various topics.
Odumuko equally named others who would be speaking at the event as Chief Nnia Nwodo, Major-General Ike Nwachukwu (rtd), and Prof. Ibrahim Gambari will chair the occasion.
Also expected to grace the event are Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu; foremost leaders of ethnic nationalities; Chief Ayo Adebanjo (Afenifere), and Chief Edwin Clark (Niger Delta), among others.
