As the 2023 general election in Nigeria draws closer, the demand by the Igbos in South Eastern part of Nigeria for the region to be supported to produce the next president of the country took the centre stage when the presidential delegation led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. A. Gambari met with the Governors of the south east, Traditional and Religious leaders in the zone as well as women and youth organisations.
Speaker after speaker, the demand for Igbo presidency in 2023 formed the major part of their demand at the meeting which was held at the Exco Chamber, Lion Building, Enugu State Government House on Saturday, 7th November, 2020.
The Chairman of South East Council of traditional rulers and the Obi of Onitsha, HRM, Igwe Alfred Achebe, stated that the Igbos are found in all parts of Nigeria and forms the largest population in every community after their host, thus, giving them a chance to produce the next president of the country will foster the unity so badly needed in Nigeria.
Similarly, Chief Emmanuel iwuanyanwu urged the president to help the Igbos get the same treatment the Yorubas got in 1999 (starting from his own APC) when the two major political parties produced them as their standard bearers.
Iwuanyanwu, who highlighted the pains he felt in the obvious absence of Igbos during the last meeting the president held with past presidents in the country, urged the president to see that this anomaly is corrected in 2023 while stressing that the Igbos are more committed to ‘one Nigeria’ more than any other part of the country.
The South East leaders also demanded an end to the destructive herdsmen that are destroying farmlands, raping the women and killing the men in the region. Also in their demand are; the creation of two additional states in the zone, an end to the marginalization of the Igbos in both the security architecture and federal civil service and infrastructural development in the region, especially, roads that are in terrible state of disrepair.
Present at the meeting were; Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, the governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma and the Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Nkem Okeke.
Others are; the Inspector General of Police, Director General, Department of State Services, Hon. Minister of Information, Federal Ministers from South East, the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe; the House of Representatives’ Deputy Minority Leader, Rt. Hon. Toby Okechukwu; Senator Sam Egwu; President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo; leader of the South East Traditional Rulers’ delegation, South East CAN Chairman, Bishop Goddy Okafor; Amb. Justina Eze; Chief Mrs. Josephine Anenih, representatives of Igbo youths and students, among others.
