The clamour for a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction yesterday took a practical approach with the inauguration of Nigeria Presidential Project 2023 – South East option in Enugu.
The political advocacy organisation with acronym, NPP, according to the Chancellor, Dr. Walter Oji, has the objective of actualizing the full integration of the South East geopolitical zone into Nigeria’s political power distribution with particular regard to the office of the President of Nigeria.
At a press conference to unveil the organization, Oji said there was no better time than now for the South East to produce Nigeria’s President, insisting that the full political rehabilitation of the South East Zone into Nigeria’s political power distribution remained the most glaring area yet to be addressed.
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He explained that the quest for Nigerian President of South East extraction was not in any way in conflict with restructuring agenda, stressing that while the restructuring of Nigeria is encouraged, the South East should claim its right and turn for the Presidency.
Oji noted that General Yakubu Gowon’s reconciliatory declaration of: “No Victor, No Vanquished” after the Nigeria/Biafra civil war with the three R policy of reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction were unsuccessful and could only be fully realized with reintegration which according to him was an integral objective of the policy.
Arguing that Nigeria’s power rotation has been a North to South and South to North arrangement with the President and office of President rotating in like manner, the NPP Chancellor said, “Under this arrangement and with the incumbent President coming from the Northern region and serving out his second tenure, the position of the President is obviously to rotate to the Southern region which consists three geopolitical zones, namely, South West, South South and the South East.
“It is trite that South-West geopolitical zone produced former President Olusegun Obasanjo from 1999 to 2007, while the South-South geopolitical zone produced former President Goodluck Jonathan, 2009 to 2015.
“Therefore, there should be no doubt, there should be no question and there should be no equivocation about the rightful demand by the South East geopolitical zone to produce the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come 2023.”
Accepting that the journey would not be easy as power was usually not given but taken, he called on all Nigerians to work together to actualize it just as he urged all political parties to zone their Presidential candidate to the South East.
Oji disclosed that his organization has commenced handshakes across the Niger and Benue and a real time outreach within the Atlantic coverage of its Southern neighbours, assuring that NPP was prepared to commit unlimited amount of financial and human resources for the actualization of the noble cause.
He said, “The people of the South East geopolitical zone are real time Nigerians, having love and affection for all Nigerians always ready to sacrifice for others, are now counting on all Nigerians to reciprocate the support and sacrifice the people of South East geopolitical zone have made for Nigeria’ national unity, progress and prosperity by joining together to support the South East geopolitical zone’s demand that they produce the next President of Nigeria of South East extraction come 2023.”
THE SUN, NIGERIA
