A group, Igbos for a Progressive Nigeria (IPAN) has urged people of the South East to view the Igbo presidency as their right and not a privilege ahead of the 2023 general elections.
It said it was high time Ndigbo stopped playing second fiddle by begging for the slot, blaming their inability to clinch the position over the decades to such disposition.
Addressing newsmen on Monday, the President, Lawrence Onuzulike however dismissed threats and violence as part of the process of achieving the dream.
He called for dialogue, understanding and partnership with those from other regions and tribes to support the choicest candidate, who he said, would be acceptable to all.
He said, “Yes, we want an Igbo man in Aso Rock. But the path we’re toeing is that of peace. We’re not among those who insist that if you don’t give us president in 2023 we’ll join others to terrorise Nigeria. We don’t threaten anybody.
“Nobody gives us Igbo presidency. We’re Nigerians. We’re not black Americans fighting for acceptance in America. This is our country and we just have to take what is ours.
“There’s nobody in this country that’s more Nigerian than the Igbo. So nobody can give me a presidency in my own country. It’s my right and I’ll take it. When I hear those things, I feel insulted as an Igbo man.
“Before, we used to be number one in this country, then we became number two, then number three. Now, we’re not even number four, nor five. From Presidency, Vice, Senate, no Igbo man because we just left it and keep shouting from the jungle, give us presidency.
“We should be president the way others are being president, but we’ll have to start building the bridge of understanding and partnership with those from other regions.”
Asked if the body was partnering with other sister organisations, Onuzulike explained that IPAN was being careful with such collaborations to avoid being influenced or silenced.
He added, “We’re very careful and not in a hurry. That’s why we don’t seek for funds anyhow because we don’t want to be confused or swayed by money.
“We fund ourselves and work with people that are successful in their careers, including those in diaspora. That’s why we’ve made impact in a short time of our existence.”
He however noted that his group was already discussing with the Obiozor-led Ohanaeze Ndigbo after being betrayed by the immediate past leadership.
“I’m sorry to say that the first statement we made when IPAN was formed is that Ohanaeze has failed us. The last leadership disgraced us woefully.
“How can Ohanaeze start supporting a political party, when it ought to be neutral? If you must hug an aspirant, you must hug the entire aspirants. The most annoying part is that the same leadership was supporting a non-Igbo.
“But we’re happy with the body language of the new Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Definitely, we’ll work with this new Obiozor-led body. We’re already in discussion with him. We won’t work with anybody that will take Igbo people backwards or whose agenda is self-enrichment,” he stressed.
