President Goodluck Jonathan is one of the high profile guests already pencilled down to address participants at this year’s World Igbo Congress in the United States of America.
The annual International Convention of the WIC is scheduled for Houston, Texas on between August 29 and September 1.
A statement on Monday by the WIC said the address by Jonathan is to set the tone for deliberations at the Congress.
The statement said the politics of the 2015 presidential election “may likely take a centre stage”.
It said at the end of the convention, Igbos in the Diaspora will endorse a presidential candidate based on the person’s antecedents and what the person plans to do for Ndi-Igbo to bring equity and fairness to the nation.
The WIC will also consider how the candidate to be supported plans to protect the lives and properties of Ndi-Igbo in Nigeria.
It said this would be paramount to the World Igbo Congress.
The statement quoted the Chairman of the WIC, Joe Eto, as saying: “Ndi-Igbo in the Diaspora have the wherewithal to influence how our brethren in Nigeria should vote during the presidential elections and no candidate should underestimate the political reach of WIC.
“We are abreast with the political reality on the ground.
“As a result, we will endorse a presidential candidate at the end of the convention.
“Thus, we have invited President Goodluck Jonathan to the World Igbo Congress Convention.
“We understand he is making plans to make presentations to the Congress during the convention in Houston and WIC’s position on the subject will be informed by the outcome of the dialogue.
“World Igbo Congress represents more than 1.5 million adults and a very strong influence on the voting population at home.”
Other issues that are of concern to the WIC include how to attract more international airlines to the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu; details of what Jonathan had done for the Igbos since coming into power about six years ago; compensations for Igbo traders and families who have lost everything as a result of the Boko Haram insurgence in the North East; the and planned WIC Health Care Hospital of excellence to be located in Igboland.”
To address these issues, several prominent Igbo sons and daughters in the Jonathan government have been invited to the conference.
They include the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu; the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha; and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Hope Nzodinma.