Efforts by the South-East to produce the next president may hit the rock as some of the aspirants from the region have vowed not to step down for one another.
This is as the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, warned that any presidential aspirant from the South-East who refused to step down and support a common candidate from the region would fail.
Some of contenders for the presidency from the South-East are Anyim Pius Anyim and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi State), Peter Obi and Kingsley Muoghalu (Anambra State), Orji Uzor Kalu and Sam Ohuabunwa (Abia State), Rochas Okorocha (Imo State), Chris Baywood of Baywood Foundation (Enugu) and others expected to make their intention known in the coming days.
While Kalu, Umahi and Okorocha are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, the likes of Anyim, Ohuabunwa and Obi are in the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party.
It is not clear on which platform Muoghalu and Baywood will contest.
Recall that the South-East has since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999 been clamouring for a president of Igbo extraction.
Since Nigeria returned to democracy in 1999, only the South-East region has yet to produce the President from the southern part of the country.
While a former military head of state, Olusegun Obasanjo, from the South-West led Nigeria as a democratically-elected President from 1999 to 2007, Umaru Yar’Adua from North-West took over the mantle of leadership from 2007 to 2010 when he passed on.
The then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan from the South-South completed Yar’ Adua’s tenure and spent another term before he handed over to the incumbent President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) from the North-West in 2015.
With only five states and not at a vantage position in terms of voting strength, the South-East presidential aspirants are up against formidable presidential aspirants like the former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo; the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Belo in the APC.
Those angling for the ticket of the PDP are a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, amongst others.
However, the South-East has expressed determination to clinch the presidential position in 2023 with most of the aspirants in the APC.
One of the aspirants, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, described his presidential ambition as motivational and therefore had no plans to quit no matter the situation.
Ohuabunwa said that he could only accept to withdraw from the race if “the powers that motivated him decide otherwise.”
He was responding to a question on whether he would be willing to step down if asked to do so in order to reduce the number of aspirants and brighten the chances of the South-East having a shot at the presidency.
“I am not willing and not considering stepping down. I am not desperate, and that aspiration cannot be quenched,” he further said.
Ohuabunwa specifically said his presidential aspiration did not start in one day but inspirational, adding, “it is not something to jettison like that.”
The PDP presidential hopeful, whose mantra is, ‘The change that Nigeria needs’, said, “the country needs the best to assuage the decadence in society.”
Similarly, one of the presidential aspirants from the region, who does not want his name mentioned, said it was “impracticable” for any aspirant to step down from the race, adding that Ohanaeze Ndigbo led by Prof. George Obiozor had not said anyone should withdraw from the race.
Also, one of the support groups for Governor David Umahi’s presidential aspiration, Akubaraoha Youth Assembly, said with the achievements of the governor, it would be wrong for anyone to ask him to step down for any person.
Similarly, one of the aspirants maintained that it was not possible for Ohanaeze Ndigbo to say only one candidate would be supported to achieve a Nigerian president from Igbo extraction.
The presidential hopeful said, “You have to understand that it is not George Obiozor-led Ohanaeze that said so (that one candidate would be supported for a president from South-East to emerge). Obiozor-led Ohanaeze is the authentic Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
However, efforts to get the leadership of the Orji Uzor Kalu (OUK) Movement, a support group for former governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, were not successful.
-Advertisement-
Grab our latest Magazine, "Kelechi Amadi-Obi - Transcending the worlds of Law, Visual Art and Photography". Get your order fast and stress free.
For more details about Newswire Law&Events Magazine, kindly reach out to us on 08039218044, 09070309355. Email: newswiremagazine@yahoo.co.uk. You will be glad you did
Download E-MagazineDo you want to be heard, your events covered, your articles published, or need to advertise your products and services on our Blog and Magazine, reach out to us at Newswire Law and Events, you will be glad you did. For more details about our services, please call: 08039218044, 09070309355. Email: newswiremagazine@yahoo.co.uk
