Politics

2019 Election: Igbo not interested in Presidency – Nwabueze, Nwodo, IPOB

Published

6 years ago

August 6, 2018

The President General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo , Chief Nnia Nwodo ; a constitutional lawyer , Prof . Ben Nwabueze , and the Indigenous People of Biafra , on Sunday , held a closed – door meeting at Ogbaru , Anambra State .The meeting convened by Nwabueze , our correspondent gathered, deliberated on the 2019 general elections and the Igbo interest in the presidency .
An insider in the meeting , who spoke on condition of anonymity , told our correspondent that all the parties in the meeting agreed that the Igbo would not field any presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections.

The source said , “ Prof . Nwabueze just consolidated on the previous peace meeting between Ohanaeze and IPOB , which held in Enugu some months back .

“ It is necessary to consolidate on the existing peace between both groups as a way of forging a common front among the Igbo . ”

In the meeting were Chief Nnia Nwodo , a former Dean , Church of Nigeria , Most Rev Maxwell Anikwenwa , and a counsel for IPOB , Mr Aloy Ejimakor.

Nwabueze , who briefed journalists after the meeting , said , “ Leaders can only succeed if their followers are with them . We will not be united if followers are disenchanted with the leadership.

“ There is trouble in Nigeria ; we do not know what will happen in future but we can predict and we know there is a problem .

“ We love Nigeria but the leaders of the nation are not doing the right thing . We are not in control of anything in Nigeria ; it is for this reason that we need to come together and be united .

“ We have no control of anything in Nigeria and if we lose control of ourselves , we are finished and we will not let it happen while we are alive. ”

He said there was so much disunity in Nigeria today , adding that the essence of the gathering was to make everyone understand the need for peace to reign .

He said the meeting was a fruitful one , and that the IPOB was asking for the Federal Government to rescind the proscription order on the organisation .

He added that Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other leaders of the zone had resolved to hold a meeting with South East governors to put pressure on the Federal Government to lift the proscription on IPOB .

Nwabueze said , “ IPOB ’ s major worry is to get the Federal Government to lift its proscription order on them . We have promised to liaise with the state governors to do so in a later meeting that will hold on August 8 . ”

Speaking on Igbo presidency , Nwabueze said the South – East was not interested in the Presidency of the country ; rather its interest was to have Nigeria restructured .

He said , “ The primary need of Ndigbo now is restructuring , not Igbo presidency . We want a restructured Nigeria ; that is the only way we can get what we want and every zone would be satisfied . If Nigeria is restructured , that will go a long way to satisfy our demands .

“ We don’ t want Igbo presidency . As the country is today , we cannot get anything until Nigeria is restructured . We can begin to talk about Igbo presidency only when Nigeria is restructured . ”