Pressure groups within the All Progressives Congress (APC) have begun working on the possibility of picking a presidential aspirant from the South East to brighten the chances of the zone producing the party flag bearer for the 2023 election.
National Coordinator of one of such groups, South East Renaissance Assembly, Chief Gbazueagu Nweke Gbazueagu told The Nation that they were working seriously behind the scene on the possibility of having single South East candidate for the APC to face other contenders.
Gbazueagu who insisted it was the turn of the South East to produce the president, said they the group started working on the possibility about 18 months ago, pointing out that they were talking to all the aspirants from the zone.
He claimed the efforts have remained at preliminary stage so far because the group was waiting to see those who will purchase the presidential nomination form before bringing them together to discuss the possibility.
APC presidential aspirants from the South East include: Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; former Imo Governor, Sen. Rochas Okorocha; Ebonyi Governor Dave Umahi; Minister of State for Education, Hon. Emeka Nwajiuba; former Senate President Ken Nnamani; Mrs Uju Kennedy Ohnenye; Pastor Nicholas Felix Nwagbo and former Minister of Information, Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige who indicated interest in contesting the presidential primary backed out of the race after a valedictory session with President Muhammadu Buhari.
Gbagueague said “We agree and identify with zoning of the Presidential ticket and we further agree that it is the turn of the south east geopolitical zone to produce the next President of the country in 2023. We also recognise that the destiny of Ndigbo lies with the choices they make and our role is to guide, protect and promote the collective interest of our people.
“We are totally committed to ensuring that the south east will always secure it’s fair share of natural benefits whether in business or politics, but more especially in politics, knowing fully well that politics can always be a major influencer in business success.
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“We believe this is our finest hour and our finest moment to have a South Easterner as the President of this country. We believe that we deserve the aspiration for many reasons. We are not against the aspiration of individuals because they are legitimate aspirations of individuals across political parties and across geopolitical zones.
“This is democracy. But beyond that, we from the south east and every Nigerian knows that we deserve consideration this time around.
The current President is from the north and will be completing his eight year tenure by the grace of God in 2023. Automatically, the next President should come from the south. From the south, we have had our brothers from the south west and south-south produce the president and we have supported those elections.”
Reminded of the plethora of candidates from the south east in the presidential race and what is being done to come up with a single candidate, he said: “There is no justifiable and sensible South Easterner of note that is not being individualistic who will say it is not or turn to produce the President. You can have individualist person and they are al over the place.
“But I can tell that 98 percent of eligible south easterners believe and accept that it is our turn to produce the President of this country. When people say we are looking at the best, please give us what you have and we will give you what we have. Imperially, you will see that we have everything that is required to run this country.
“On the issue of narrowing down on the candidates we are working on that. In the APC, we just finished purchasing of form. You cant work on something that is not available. If you work on this earlier, you may even know those who will purchase the form.
“Now that we have concluded that process, we now know sons and daughters of the APC who have purchased forms. SERA is already at work. For your information, SERA started about 18 months ago and every of our leadership accept that it must not be him or her, but somebody from the south east.”
On the calls by some Nigerians to de-emphasis zoning, he said: “It amuses me when for altruistic and personal reasons, people now say let us de-emphasis zoning at this now. But in their respective states, they are emphasizing zoning. In their respective local government, they are emphasizing zoning.
“When it comes to the turn of the Igbos in the nation, then we de-emphasis it. Charity begins at home. Go and de-emphasis zoning in your local government and in your state. There is no outgoing governor who wants the governor to come from his own zone.
“There is no local government chairman who wants the next chairman to come from his community. It is a natural process. Now it is the turn of the south east, people are saying we should not talk about zoning. If we don’t talk about zoning, don’t talk about it down the ladder. De-emphasis it at all levels.
“The people who are running election, trying to stop the south east by saying no zoning are doing zoning in their respective states and local government. That is hypocrisy. We are talking about the south east, but we are not giving you people who don’t have record of performance.
“I am talking about hypocrisy of those talking about zoning, but doing zoning in their states and local government. In every ward, there are councilors and they are rotated. In every coal government, there are chairmen and they are rotated.
“In every state, there are three senatorial zones, they rotate the governorship seat. Every elective person is rotated in the states. In the last election, zoning was not an issue. But because it is no our turn, it suddenly become an issue.”