An ardent supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari and Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr. Osita Okechukwu, has expressed optimism that the President’s impending visit to the South-East is on a mission to return the region to the mainstream of Nigeria’s political landscape

President Buhari is expected in the South-East this week, the first time since he assumed office as President on May 29, 2015.

Asked what he thinks will be the takeaway for the South East from President’s visit, the chieftain of All Progressives Congress(ACP),said that Buhari is on mission to return the South East to its formal past glory.

Speaking in an interview with journalists in Enugu at the weekend, Okechukwu said the election of Hon. Tony Nwoye of APC in this Saturday’s governorship election in Anambra State, would be the fastest trunk to the return of Ndigbo to the national grid of Nigeria’s politics.

He said: “Let me start by saying that I didn’t discuss with President Muhammadu Buhari on the specifics of his mission to the South East. However, methinks that Mr. President wants to return the South East to the mainstream of Nigeria’s political landscape. He wants to fill the void left by Ndigbo on the tripod on which Nigeria politics rest.

“By halting the lamentation arising from the marginalisation of my people. He already has started by his elaborate plan to provide critical infrastructure – power, water, railway system and other physical and social infrastructure. He has paid in N14 billion and has additional N10 billion for 2nd Niger Bridge, N16.7 billion for Enugu-Onitsha and Enugu-Port Harcourt highways. Don’t forget that the revamping of Enugu Coal has left the pipeline. It will soon commence.”

Asked if it is only through projects that Buhari will return Ndigbo into the mainstream, Okechukwu replied: “No, far from it, but recall that these projects were abandoned in the era of squandermania, which characterised the 16 years of Peoples Democratic Party’s rule. We cannot dismiss the goodwill Buhari demonstrated by paying the pension arrears of Biafra Policemen. A debt long abandoned by successive PDP regime.”

The VON DG, however, advised the Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership to consult as quickly as possible to present Mr. President with their choice additional State, for South East.

Okechukwu recalled that in the penultimate week visit of Igbo leadership to Aso Villa, Buhari challenged Ndigbo to submit one name for him to appeal and lobby other geopolitical zones to approve additional State for the South East.

He said: “It seems Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership is glossing over this very crucial State matter which popped up during the meeting. To me no harm in trail, as Buhari commands tremendous respect across all the geopolitical zones. He can lobby for South East, based on equity and justice.

“Compatriots, we must not as well gloss over the truism that the re-election of Buhari in 2019, is the surest bet for election of Nigerian president of Igbo extraction in 2023. Going by the subsisting zoning or rotation convention, after Buhari the presidency goes South and within the South our brothers in the South-West and South-South had a taste of the pie. Accordingly based on equity and justice we stand a good chance, especially if we support President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

“Lastly, the election of Hon Tony Nwoye as said before will be the fastest trunk to the return of our people to the national grid. One therefore appeals to Ndi Anambra to throw sentiments away, as APGA is a big contradiction and should be voted out, more so when His Excellency, Governor Willy Obiano played the folklore Blind Man role.

“The folklore says that a Blind Man was given an apple by a Good Samaritan and when asked who gave him the apple quipped that he stumbled on it, Angered the Good Samaritan admonished him to come and take another after he finished the first. He showed bad faith to his predecessor, Peter Obi, the Good Samaritan, and failed woefully to account for the humongous N75 billion he inherited.”

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