A former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, says the Igbo nation would demand secession from Nigeria if the South-East geopolitical zone is not allowed to produce the president in 2023.
He said Igbo elite would join Leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu to make the demand.
Nwodo explained that Igbo presidency was necessary for the sake of equity and national unity, lamenting that the South-East has suffered marginalisation for decades in the Nigerian nation.
The former Enugu State Governor hailed elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai for backing the calls for Igbo presidency in 2023.
“Yakasi’s call is very fair and that is the correct thing. In the first republic, the country was led by Tafawa Balewa, in the second republic, it was led by Shehu Shagari. And then, those of us in PDP made a very strong case to move the presidency to South East, because even the military people were all from the north, apart from Aguiyi Ironsi who presided over for a very short time.
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“We managed to convince them at the party and Olusegun Obasanjo and Alex Ekwueme contested. That was when Obasanjo won and after his tenure, he handed power to another northerner, late Alhaji Musa Yar’Adua who unfortunately died in office and the Vice president completed the tenure. President Muhammadu Buhari will complete his eight years in office by 2023. Following equity, the presidency should come to the South-East because Obasanjo was president for eight years, now Yemi Osibanjo is also the vice president and would finish his eight-year tenure by 2023.
“So, in Southern Nigeria, it would be a total disaster if we do not produce the next president because we have been terribly marginalised since the end of the civil war. For 50 years now, we have been persecuted for having fought for freedom. When will this marginalisation stop? Anybody who loves Nigeria and who wishes Nigeria well should go for Igbo Presidency in 2023 for unity, fairness, equity and for Nigeria to move forward,” Nwodo told Vanguard.
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He expressed support for Kanu’s efforts to put the plight of the Ndigbo in Nigeria on the international stage.
Nwodo added, “I agree with Nnamdi Kanu in everything he says about the marginalisation of the Igbos. He, more than any other person, has put it on the international map. If Nigeria tells the elites from South East that they would be treated as second class citizens in Nigeria, and that they can never be president, almost all of them will go with Kanu to fight for Biafra.
“Anybody who wants to be a second-class citizen can support whoever he wants. Any Igbo man who wants to bequeath secured future for himself and generation yet unborn should support this call for Igbo presidency. In the spirit of fairness and equity, Nigeria should give the presidency to South East in 2023, otherwise, we will join him and fight for Biafra.”