The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has raised the fears that there are frantic efforts to exclude their region from the political equation of the country. The group made the submission at the Igbo National Stakeholders Assembly (INSA) Summit and prestigious awards tagged: “Ositadinma,” held in Lagos yesterday.

The Convener of the summit and First President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos, Chief John Uche, said the time had come for Ndigbo to make conscious efforts to ensure they were not undermined politically.

He said: “Elections is fast-approaching and lots of people are jostling for political offices and making coalitions for political relevance but Ndigbo appears to be complacent about the whole issue.

“We have suffered in the last four years and we do not wish to suffer anymore. It is saddening that in a country that belongs to everyone, we are excluded from the scheme of things; there is no key appointments by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

Uche, who noted that there would be need for negotiation of their votes, stressed that any political party that would ask for the votes of the Igbo people must negotiate with them appropriately.

He noted that part of the condition would include assent to call for restructuring of the country. However, Keynote Speaker at the event, James Ezike, represented by Okey Onuakalusi, lamented that it was 40 years ago that an Igbo man, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, attained the highest political office as a vice president of Nigeria and a further attempt by him (Ekwueme) in 1999 at the presidency failed because of political conspiracy.

The lawyer maintained that there was a political conspiracy to exclude the Igbo people in the political equation in the country. He said it was time for the region to be making adequate preparations to ensure they were included in the political affairs of the country.Also, Vitus Uzoh, who spoke on behalf of the vice president, said the group is doing all it could to sensitise members adequately on the need for full participation in the election.

•Sourced from The Guardian report

Update news