Ohanaeze Ndigbo Elders Council, on Saturday, met in Owerri, and mandated the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Professor George Obiozor, to begin immediately consultation with other ethnic groups in Nigeria, in order to actualize Nigeria president of Igbo extraction in 2023.
This decision was contained in a communique they issued to newsmen after their meeting at the Government House in Owerri. The meeting with Governor Hope Uzodinma as the host, alongside his counterpart, Ebonyi state governor, Dave Umahi as well as representatives of other governors.
They argued that 2023 would be the turn of the Igbo to occupy the plum position of the presidency, just as they warned some Igbo politicians to desist from speaking against zoning.
They spoke among other things, on the security they said: “The council mandated Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership to work in consultation with the state government in Ala Igboland, to reduce the vulnerability of those residing outside Igboland to the current abysmal state of affairs.
“The council agreed that Ala Igboland needs a security outfit to begin to address the things that are peculiar to the culture, religion, tradition of Ala Igboland.”
On the 2023 Nigeria Presidency of Igbo extraction, “The elders’ council mandated the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide to work with Igbo socio-political intelligentsia to pursue the task of ensuring that Ala Igbo takes the turn in producing the next president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2023.
“The elders’ council frowned at the sudden rhetoric from partisan leaders in Igboland that zoning should be de-emphasised. Insisting that even that will be, it will be after Igbo have taken their turn.”
“The council mandated the Ohanaeze Ndigbo to also work in consultation with other ethnic groups in pursuant to this objective. We urge every Igbo man with the needed capacity to show interest in the 2023 presidency,” they said.
Other dignitaries at the meeting included former governors of Imo state, Ikedi Ohakim, former governor of Abia state, currently a Senator, Theodore Orji, as well as former and serving members of the National Assembly members, first republic minister, Mbazulike Amaechi.
Also, the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Professor George Obiozor, former Ohanaeze President, Nnia Nwodo, Elder statesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Obi of Onitsha, of Igwe Alfred Achebe, Anglican Archbishop of Enugu Ecclesiastical province, Emmanuel Chukwuma among others. – Vanguard.
