Northern Communities resident in the South-East geopolitical zone, under the aegis of Arewa Communities in Igboland, has thrown its weight behind Igbo Presidency in 2023, saying that that is the only panacea for lasting peace in the country.
Addressing a press conference in Umuahia, Abia State, Monday, the group insisted the next president must be from the South East, in the spirit of equity as this will help to douse tension and drastically reduce the security crisis in the region through engendering peace and national cohesion.
“The unity of this country should be paramount in our hearts. This, we can achieve by allowing an Igbo man to emerge as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come 2023″, they said.
They, however, insisted that for this to happen the Igbo must put their acts together, with their elites making genuine efforts to reconcile their differences. This will enable them produce a competent and detribslised candidate. This will ensure full Northern support.
Therefore, they asked other geopolitical zones to stay clear of the Presidency.
The National President of the group, Alhaji Mohammed Nalado Umaru, who spoke on behalf of the AREWA communities, said they are confident other geopolitical zones will key in.
“We are sure that the North, West, South-South and others will support this noble agenda”, he said.
Worried about the skewed political structure against the Igbo, Alhaji Umaru called for the correction of the trend in 2023 for Nigeria’s continuity.
“We, the Northern people living in Igbo land are highly in support of an Igbo Executive President in 2023. We live and earn our living in Igbo Land and will continue to live together as an indivisible entity.
“Igbo are accommodating and pan Nigeria. What will be required from them is to harmonise themselves and produce a detribalised person that will be contesting the 2023 Presidential election.
“Late Sarduana of Sokoto, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Tafawa Balewa and Awolowo did not envisage disunity and war when they fought our colonial masters to secure our political and economic independence.
“Our experience today centres on tribalism, nepotism, marginalisation, religious sentiment, bribery and corruption which has eaten deep into our hearts.
“If we can tell ourselves the truth, the leadership in the country has been lopsided as sensitive positions are denied a particular ethnic group.
“President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker House of Representatives, Inspector General of Police, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Director General of DSS are all occupied by an ethnic group, leaving the Igbos to feel marginalised.
“We should not fan embers of crisis because where there is war, nothing is secured, let us give peace a chance like our founding fathers”.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
