A coalition of Niger Delta Youth Leaders Forum and the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide yesterday warned against denying the Southeast the presidency in 2023.
The groups warned that shutting out the region from producing the president in the next election will strengthen Biafra agitation and realisation in 2025.
They therefore called on the North and Southwest zones to drop their interests to contest the 2023 presidential election in the interest of justice and equity.
The groups stated this in a joint statement in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
The statement was signed Dr. Abiye Dogulas, National President Coalition of Niger Delta Youth Leaders Forum, Obinnna Achionye, Deputy President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide and Mazi Okwu Nnabuike Secretary-General Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide.
The youth groups warned against further harassment of Dame Patience Jonathan, wife of former President of the country, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan by EFCC.
The statement reads: “We are overwhelmed with large delegation of over 150 youths from different states of Niger Delta to press on the legitimate demand for Southeast to produce the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023 as a new dimension towards ensuring that Nigeria remain as one entity beyond 2023, and we have eminently qualified personalities in the APC and PDP to actualise the Nigeria president of Igbo extraction.
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“We are expecting another delegation from Southwest and Middle Belt youths on the same project, as we are committed in building bridges across the Niger to ensure Nigerians are united on the Igbo presidency project 2023.
“We are advising the presidency to halt further persecution of Dame Patience Jonathan and Jonathan’s family, a bad precedence is being set up by the continuous humiliation of Dame Patience Jonathan, and urge her to appeal on the current Judgment of the Lagos high court as the judgment is a miscarriage of Justice.
“The North should honour the gentleman’s agreement that has existed since 1999 of power rotation between North and South; that it’s the turn of the Southeast to produce the next President in 2023, and we urge the Northern Elders Forum to desist from any political agitation that will make Biafra a success by 2025.
“Any gang up against the Southeast will strengthen the realisation of sovereign state of Biafra if Igbos are denied the 2023 Igbo presidency project. Alternatively, Biafra will be realised without any another civil war and Niger Delta will be on the side of Biafrans if Igbo presidency project 2023 is denied. We insist that power must rotate between North and South, and the only zone yet to get the presidency in the Southern Nigeria is the Southeast.
“Coalition of Niger Delta Youth Leaders’ Forum is fully committed to the 2023 Igbo presidency project and appreciate the robust leadership style of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide towards ensuring that the project is not only for Igbos alone but ensure that other political zones are fully integrated into the 2023 Igbo presidency project, for equity, fairness and justice and we believe that the project will address the current insecurity and economic challenges bedeviled our beloved nation, Nigeria, only an Igbo presidency in 2023 will restore Nigeria to the comity of nations as truly the giant of Africa.
”Niger Delta appreciates the support of the Southeast during the ex-President Goodluck Jonathon tenure, we have not forgotten in a hurry the tremendous and overwhelming support gotten from Igbos during Jonathan’s era and we are saying that it’s the turn of Southsouth to reciprocate the same support to the Igbo project”
The groups urged the Southwest to support the Southeast ambition. They argued that former President Olusegun Obasanjo took a fair share of the office between 1999/2007.
They allowed cited the recognition recently accorded the winner of the annulled June 12 presidential election, the late Chief MKO Abiola and the declaration of June 12 as the Democracy Day.
The groups cautioned the Federal Government to thread softly on the issue of Mrs. Patience Jonathan, saying that it could be the turn of any president’s wife in the futre.
They said: “We are aware of the good intentions of the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, to build a befitting university after President Buhari, how will the President Buhari feel if Aisha’s dream of honouring him today becomes a crime tomorrow, and Aisha Buhari being in the shoes of Dame Patience Jonathan tomorrow.”
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