The Governor of Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, says he will wholeheartedly support an Igbo man for the 2023 presidency but the agitation for Biafra must stop.
According to him, Igbo people have a legitimate aspiration having not produced the president.
He explained that if the zoning of the presidency had been applied in the past, it would be disingenuous to stop it now.
However, Ishaku maintained that zoning did not in any way mean that competence would be sacrificed.
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He said that every section of the country has someone or people that are qualified to be president and so the presidency should not be reserved for one section of the country.
The Taraba governor made these known in a press interview anchored by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Bala Dan Abu.
Ishaku noted that while Ndigbo’s demand for the presidency was legitimate, bringing up Biafra agitation at the same time could complicate issues.
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Declaring his stance on zoning of the 2023 presidency, Ishaku explained, “I think that if zoning has been applied in the past, there is no need stopping it at this critical time because that would be like changing the rules of the game midway.
“I support the position expressed by many people that we should stay by the zoning arrangement and that stakeholders should work out a formula that would keep the country united.
“We must not do anything that would undermine our existence as one united country. Every section of the country has someone or people that are qualified to be president and so the presidency should not be reserved for one section of the country.
“So, I support that the zoning arrangement should be allowed to continue so that everybody can have a taste of the pudding.
“However, zoning does not mean that we should sacrifice competence. Whatever section is to produce the president should be able to give us the best and I am sure that every section of the country can produce such persons.
“I believe that the Igbo have a legitimate aspiration, but what makes their case bad is the threat they always subjected the country to through their agitation for Biafra.
“Biafra is an unfortunate development in the past and it belongs to the past and people should not be rubbing that on our faces.
“We have got to a stage in our life in this country that nobody should be threatened. So, if they want the rest of the country to trust them and support their presidential bid, they should stop this agitation and caution their children.
“Most of the people leading the agitation are people who were not even born at the time and they do not know the cost of war and the psychological implications of war.
“If they want the presidency, they have the right to demand for it because they are legitimate Nigerians, but they should not remind other Nigerians of Biafra.”
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