The national vice president of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene has said the presidential candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, lost support of the Southeast following his roles in jettisoning zoning which he had largely benefited from.

He said Atiku would have been the greatest hero if he had been among those insisting that 2023 was Southeast’s turn to produce President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor.

Speaking during a chat on Tuesday, Okeke-Ogene, who doubles as Southeast Zonal Coordinator, Peter Obi/ Ahmed Datti Presidential Campaign Committee, said the PDP flag bearer would have seen the forthcoming election as a payback time for the sacrifices Ndigbo made to him during the last election.

According to him: “If conscience is anything to go by, the two major political parties, couldn’t have field candidates from any other zone other than Southeast. Igbos are being persecuted by Buhari today because they gave Atiku during his last election 95% votes.

“What Obasanjo and others are doing today is what we had expected from Atiku who happens to be our in-law. That’s why it’s not good to vote according to sentiments.

“Atiku would have known that the entire Southeast sacrificed their votes and interest for him and see this election as a payback time. He wouldn’t have engineered and funded the no zoning campaign because we voted for him based on zoning.

“Atiku would have been the greatest hero of our times if he had been in the fore front of championing it’s turn of the Southeast. But if Atiku fails this election, he’ll go to the grave as unrepentant person, sorry to use that word, but it’s very unfortunate,” he said.

Asked if he was worried over perceived lack of support of Southeast Governors for Peter Obi’s candidacy, Okeke-Ogene insisted he was optimistic of LP’s victory, saying the era of a Governor boasting of entire votes in his state was over.

“Southeast Governors are five persons with five votes. I have a family of five, so I have five votes. I can’t even guarantee that all of them will join me to vote for my candidate.

“The same way the votes of the governors belong to them. They may decide to cast it to Labour Party or elsewhere. Days are gone when one man will say, leave the entire Southeast for me to deliver; it’s a joke.

“We’ve grown to the level that you can’t drag people like cow. Even today’s cow is resisting. For the past 27years I’ve served Ohaneze, I perceive the people’s odour and innuendo. They’re not voting for Obi because he’s an Igbo, but as a Nigerian project.

“Obi’s national acceptance is the first of its kind in Nigerian history, even Zik and Ojukwu didn’t enjoy such handshake across the Niger. But he’s having more than handshake. We’re even expecting handshake across Africa. It’s a divine intervention.

“The Igbos have voted for every tribe and zone in this country. That’s why people, including Obasanjo are speaking for us. They appreciate our pains and know they’re genuine. They are ready to carry our load,” he added. (The Nation)

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