South-East politicians have declared that the next presidential election in 2023 is the right time for the Igbos to occupy the seat of presidency.
The politicians made this known during the 6th world Igbo summit held at the Gregory University Uturu, Abia state.
The Summit which held from 18th – 19th December, 2020 with the theme ‘’Enduring Future for Ndigbo: Expectations and Challenges’’, was aimed at reawakening the Igbo consciousness and ensuring that Ndigbo become more organized and cohesive, making their voices and demands for restructuring Nigeria and networking for Presidency of Igbo extraction, loudest.
Among the dignitaries that attended the summit include: Former Chief of General Staff/Vice President of Nigeria, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe Rtd, President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Nnia Nwodo, Federal Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, former Senate President and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.
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Others include General (Sen) Ike Nwachukwu, Prof, Joe Irukwu, Prof George Obiozor, Prof Ihechukwu Madubuike, Professor Greg Ibe, Iyom Josephine Anenih, Dr Ifedi Okwenna, Prof. Augustine Uwakwe, Dr Okey Ikechukwu, and so many other Igbo great intellectuals, professionals, businessmen, civil society activists, gender advocates and other experts of Igbo extraction residing in different parts of the world.
In a communique released after the meeting, the politicians resolved to continuously seek for a system or polity that guarantees and secures social, political and economic interest of the Igbos in Nigeria, based on equality of citizenship, equity and justice.
The communique stated, ‘’We shall diligently and boldly work hard to convince other Nigerians to support Igbo’s quest to become the President of Nigeria as 2023 is the right time for Ndigbo to occupy the seat of the Presidency of Nigeria.
‘’The summit therefore urges Igbo politicians to ensure that their respective political parties produce candidates of igbo estraction as presidential candidate of their respective political parties
‘’We call Igbo legislators in the National Assembly to seek collaboration with members from other zones to amend the Electoral Act to accommodate a provision that compels INEC to ensure rotation clause in parties constitution, as a requirement for registration, while all our sons and daughters in any political party strive to ensure “rotation of Presidency” Clause in their party constitution.
‘’The Summit urges Ndigbo to remain politically active and conscious to ensure that the about 26 million registered voting strength of Ndigbo all over Nigeria are effectively mobilized, through regular voter education to strengthen the capacity of the zone to negotiate and ultimately win the Presidency.
‘’Ndigbo know that they can only realize their aspiration through persuasion of other Nigerians and are therefore ready and are engaging other Nigerians and people, and are not antagonistic and abusive as some people are wrongly asserting
‘’The summit reaffirmed the urgent need for restructuring of Nigeria to allow for growth and development in line with resolutions of the 2014 National Conference and the Awka declaration of Ndigbo on restructuring of Nigeria
‘’The Summit acknowledged the fact that Ndigbo have substantial investments and is doing business in various parts of the country, we call on the Federal Government to ensure the security of lives and property of all Nigeria, particularly Ndigbo, as they are usually the main target of hoodlums in times of crisis.
‘’The Summit expresses their appreciation to the Chancellor and Management of Gregory University for being a wonderful host and for their commitment to the re-engineering of Igbo growth and development through her Igbo Renaissance Center.’’
