A former presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress in the 2019 elections, Charles Udeogaranya, has said that former military Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida?s recent clarification on the January 1966 coup d??tat will ultimately pave the way for a South-East president in 2027.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, Udeogaranya welcomed Babangida?s remarks, describing them as a necessary step towards correcting historical distortions that have long marginalised the Igbo people in Nigeria?s leadership.

His reaction followed a recent call by the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, demanding an apology from the Federal Government over decades of perceived humiliation and exclusion of the South-East.

During the launch of his book, A Journey in Service, Babangida clarified that the 1966 coup should not be seen as an Igbo affair?a claim that has been used over the years to justify the exclusion of Igbos from the presidency.

Udeogaranya, a staunch Zikist, argued that fairness dictates that the presidency in 2027 should be zoned to the South-East.

?These packs of lies fabricated against the Igbo people were designed to deny Ndigbo the right to preside over Nigeria. This is the aftermath of five decades of Nigerian leadership without an Igbo president,? he said.

?IBB?s revelation renders all lies against Ndigbo null and void and ultimately clears the way for the emergence of a Nigerian President of Igbo descent in 2027.

?I, therefore, urge the three leading political parties ? APC, PDP, and Labour Party ? to nominate Igbo candidates for the 2027 presidential election. This is crucial for urgent national healing and to set Nigeria back on the path of economic growth, rather than the continued struggle for a share of the national cake,? Udeogaranya said. (The PUNCH, but headline rejigged)

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