How to restore peace and security to South East, and actualise Nigeria’s President of Igbo extraction in 2023, among other burning regional issues, are some of the items on the front burner as Igbo Think Tank in partnership with Nzuko Ndigbo organises its fourth International Christmas Retreat in Abia.

Briefing newsmen in Umuahia, Board of Trustee, BoT Chairman of Igbo Think Tank, Professor Madubuike Ezeibe, said eminent Igbo personalities at home and abroad would participate in the retreat where far-reaching decisions on key issues affecting the Igbo nation would be taken.

Professor Ezeibe who was flanked by a former Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide and Chairman, Local Organizing Committee, Chuks Ibegbu, gave the theme of the retreat as:”Ndigbo Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”, and the sub-theme as:”Ndigbo in Geo-Politics of Nigeria, the Case of 2023″.

The event according to him will witness lecturers, goodwill messages, and ‘great declarations’.

Former Director General of National Orientation Agency, NOA, Professor Elochukwu Amucheazi; Professor Obasi Igwe of the University of Nigeria, Nsuka; are among those expected to deliver speeches at the event slated for Wednesday, December 28 at Michael Okpara Auditorium Umuahia.

” The G-5 Governors are expected in the retreat to the interface on their mission and vision”, he added.

Professor Ezeibe said that the outcome of the 2023 presidential poll “means so much to Ndigbo”, hence the importance, leading the Igbo group’s attack to the build-up to the election.

He commended some Nigerian elders including former President Olusegun Obasanjo; Yoruba Leader, Pa Adebanjo; Pan Niger Delta Development Forum, and PANDEF Leader, Edwin Clark; among others for their vehement support for power shift to South East for equity, justice and national inclusiveness.

The Igbo Think Tank BoT Chairman advocated the application of what he called “the 1999 card” where the South West was systematically positioned to produce the country’s President to douce rising tension in the zone.

” The 1999 card worked and Nigeria had peace then. So, in 2023 it can work again”, he said.

He further noted that the late Dr Alex Ekwueme was on the verge of getting the People’s Democratic Party, PDP presidential ticket in 1999 before Nigeria elders met and decided that power had to go South West to assuage the zone over the rising tension following the death of Moshood Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the 1993 presidential poll.

According to him, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, was also prevailed upon to relinquish the presidential ticket of the African National People’s Party, ANPP for peace to reign.

The Professor of Virology who discovered HIV/AIDS therapy said that Ndigbo is concerned about the peace of Nigeria because they would be the worst hit should Nigeria go into crisis.

” We are concerned because there is no nook and cranny of Nigeria you will not find an Igbo man going about his normal business. Should there be any trouble tomorrow they will be affected? That’s why we need Nigeria to remain peaceful”.

He stressed the need for Nigeria to have peaceful and credible polls in 2023, warning that the country may not be able to handle the outcome of any rancorous or compromised election.

” I will migrate to Ghana if Nigeria gets it wrong in 2023″, Ezeibe said.

He further urged the Federal Government to sincerely engage agitators of self-determination in dialogue in the overall interest of the country instead of using brute force on them.

Professor Ezeibe recalled that a former Governor of Ekiti State was once the voice behind Radio Kuidarat that championed Abiola’s cause before the West was compensated with the presidency in 1999.

” So, what is the difference between what he was doing then on Radio Kuidarat, and what Nnamdi Kanu did on Radio Biafra? He later became Governor of Ekiti State, meaning that if you dialogue with the agitators, they can also make meaningful contributions tomorrow for the good of all”. (Vanguard)

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