A pro-equity group, the Izu Ndigbo/Ogendigbo: Movement for Igbo Presidency in 2023, has called on Nigerians, the Federal Government, political parties and all critical stakeholders to give Ndigbo chance to produce president in 2023.

According to its President-General, Pastor Dele Ikeorha, “the June 12 was about the sanctity of our democratic rights and our divorce from military governance or rather mis-governance of Nigeria.”

He said Friday in a statement: “While it is usually called a watershed in the history of Nigeria, it is more than that. It represented for the first time, our collective aspirations to be free, to be ruled under democratic culture, to be counted among civilized nations, it was our assertion on our dream of a better country and our rebellion or more appropriately our revolt and revulsion against the forces of feudalism that had kept the country perpetually in the dark ages from the light.

“I played my part in that struggle, campaigned for Nigeria’s suspension from the Commonwealth. I recall meeting His Excellencies Ahmed Salim Ahmed, the Secretary General, Organization of African Unity (now African Union), and Chief Emeka Anyoku, then Secretary General, Commonwealth. I was constantly being followed by operatives of the State Security Service (SSS). I was invited to their office few times and filled forms that asked me about information concerning my great-great grandfathers who had left this world before my father was born.

“My regrets is that nearly 20 years after military rule have ended, the military culture of governance, also called Unitarian, which [Gen] Aguiyi Ironsi introduced and been brutally defended by the forces of oppression since 1966, the need for a properly restructured and equitable nation capable of delivering the hopes and dreams of our people remains unrealized.”

Ikeorha noted that Izu Ndigbo (the gathering of the Igbo) believe that it is our turn for an Igbo man or woman to rule Nigeria in 2023. We believe it is Nigeria’s turn to reciprocate the passion with which we the Igbo have embraced and worked for Nigeria’s development and progress since Nigeria’s founding.

“We the Igbo have not been treated well in Nigeria. No one can say that the Ndigbo have been embraced with the sincerity with which we embraced Nigeria. They have said we should extend the handshake of friendship. We have extended handshake across the Niger, handshake across the Benue and even handshake across River Kaduna. Instead of embracing us sincerely, we are still being treated with hatred, distrust and suspicion. No wonder there is agitation to leave Nigeria.

“We believe after 50 years, Nigeria should accept the inevitable that 2023 is Ogendigbo, is the turn for the Igbo people of Nigeria to produce Nigeria’s President since 1999. We believe it is non-negotiable. The forces of provocation like the Myetti Allah should be seriously cautioned as Nigeria is wobbling and suffering from serious malaria which only Igbo president can cure now,” he stated.

The Ogendigbo leader expressed worry that Igbo have been victims of oppression and discrimination, adding that three million Igbo comprising 500,000 combatants, 700,000 women and over two million children were slaughtered in the civil war. He also noted that Lagos in the last six years has become another sore point where some people are asking the Igbo to go home the reason for which some people are agitating for Biafra.

“While to us Nd’Igbo the civil war has ended, many Nigerians, especially those in the Nigerian North West are still fighting a war that ended 50 years ago.

“For us in Ogendigbo, Nigeria needs to be restructured. Buhari should adopt the 2014 Confab report, as it makes financial and practical sense that calling another Constituent Assembly, spend 20 billion naira we don’t have now and reach the same conclusions.”

Ikeorha affirmed that the Biafra exit calls is legitimised by the poor leadership of the current government, it’s nepotistic and tribalistic parochialism in its approach to appointment, and its tacit support for fulani militarism and terrorism across the country.

He disclosed that as at today, forests of over 300 communities in the Southeast including his, “have been taken over by so-called Fulani herdsmen and the government is silent, adding: “State governments of the north financed and transported over 100,000 youths into the Southeast and the only reason war has not broken out in the south east is the caution of our political leaders and the restraint of our youth.”

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