Pan-Igbo sociopolitical pressure organisation, the South East Revival Group (SERG), has called for a consensus Igbo presidential candidate for the South East region, insisting that for Nigeria to overcome her numerous economic woes and the ongoing security challenges, the 2023 presidential candidates of all political parties in the country should be Igbo.
In a statement on Tuesday by its President and National Coordinator, Chief Willy Ezugwu, the SERG said “we understand that the preference of certain political interest is a President of South East extraction but the Igbos are one people, no matter where they are found, including the South-South and the Middle Belt regions.
“We know that Igbo are nationalists by nature but we must also not forget that ancient Igbo slogan ‘Onye aghala nwanne ya’ (Be your brother’s keeper) which is the true Igbo spirit. It’s time for Ndigbo to unite irrespective of their current geographical location in the spirit of one brotherhood by which Igbo are known for”, the group observed.
The SERG then noted that “the heartbeat of most Nigerians ahead of 2023 presidential election is to come out of it a more united country and bring to an end the decades of marginalisation and abandonment of the South East region.
“We call on all Igbo sons and daughters to come together in each of the existing political parties to produce a consensus presidential candidate ahead of their party primaries.”
The group warned that “the cost of rejecting rotational Presidency in the country will be grave as it will end up destabilising the country owing to the imminent ethnic minority domination and the crisis it is capable of brewing in the nearest future.
“Political watchers can see that even the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) that has never believed in zoning has started to implement power rotation within its political equity system.
“Therefore, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other political parties that have adopted and clearly implemented zoning arrangements at their respective conventions but want to jettison power rotation at their presidential primaries because it is the turn of Igbo are the real haters of Nigeria’s unity.
“No country can survive in atmosphere of perceived or real injustices and palpable fear of ethnic domination.
“For us, a president of Nigeria of Igbo extraction with a vice president of North East extraction will lay a solid foundation for true inter-ethnic healing in the country.
“We are afraid that the ongoing attempts to change the goal posts in the middle of the game won’t be in the best interest of security of lives and property, national prosperity and even development of the country in the long run.
“We all can hear and must not ignore the salient voices of reason from the East, West, North and South, calling for equity and for a President of Nigeria of Igbo extraction in 2023 as panacea for a truly federal Republic of Nigeria”, the SERG stated.
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