By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Opportunity is Given International (OGI), a socio-political group, has advocated for power shift to the South-East and political parties maintaining the current Presidential zoning arrangement of the country.

The Executive Director of OGI, Mr. Chimbo Obieze, made the call while addressing a press conference in Enugu on Sunday on the theme, “The Need for Presidential Power Shift to South-East in 2023”.

Obieze stressed on the need for all political parties to deliberately zone their 2023 Presidential tickets/candidates to the South-East.

He noted that for equity, oneness and indivisibility of the country; the next President should come from the South-East extraction.

“It is clear to everyone that had been following the political development within the Southern part of the country, that the South-West and South-South have produced the presidency since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

“The only zone that has not tasted power at the centre remains the South-East within the 21 years of the country’s democratic leadership,” he said.

Obieze also urged President Muhammadu Buhari and leadership of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to maintain the zoning system in the country.

“President Buhari should insist that power rotates to South-East in 2023 to give all zones and shade of tribes a sense of belonging in the Nigerian project,” he said.

The OGI boss noted that a President from the South-East, especially Igbo extraction, would put an end to various ethnic-cum-political agitations within the zone.

According to him, it will also put an end to the apathy some sections of Igbo people have in identifying with national civil obligations and projects.

“An Igbo presidency will bring the enterprise and resourcefulness of an Igbo-man to bear in the governance and solving the already myriad challenges confronting the country.

“It will also put in place the never-die spirit of an Igbo-man, which is the driving force of Igbo-man’s success in business notwithstanding the remoteness of the business location,” he said.

Obieze noted that the South-East also has a lot of illustrious sons and great achievers who can navigate the flagship of the country to the Promised Land as expected.

Presidential Vila Abuja

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