The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has set up a political committee to assist the South-East region to achieve its aim of having a southeasterner as Nigeria’s President in 2023.
This comes after a National Executive Council meeting of the organisation in Enugu, the Enugu State capital.
The meeting was presided over by the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ambassador George Obiozor and had in attendance delegates from many branches.
The incarceration of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, was also discussed.
Ohanaeze said the time was ripe to have a Nigerian president of South-East extraction, saying it would help foster unity.
He said, “Nigerian nationalism is receding as ethno-regional nationalism is growing astronomically. It is time to rebuild and restore Nigerian nationalism and national spirit.
“As the national situation is today, it will require Pan Nigerians like Igbos to reinvigorate the nation’s path to unity. And a southeast Igbo president of Nigeria in 2023 will be one of the most critical but positive decisions of the nation’s history because it is the right decision and an idea whose time has come.”
Regarding the continued detention of Kanu, Obiozor said, “We have been consistent in asking for a political solution to the problem including prerogative of mercy for Nnamdi Kanu’s freedom and amnesty.
“Once more, Ndigbo are not secessionists or separatists. Igbos are prepared and deserve the Presidency. It is politically defensible and morally justifiable. To realise this, the National Executive Council of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has established the Political Action Committee to be Chaired by the President General, Ambassador Professor George Obiozor, while the Secretary-General, Ambassador Okey Emuchay, will serve as the Secretary. Full composition will be done soon.”