•••SAYS IGBO POLITICIANS SHOULD NOT CONTEST AS RUNNING MATE
The Igbo Elders Council has condemned in strong terms the seeming discarding of power rotation arrangement of major political parties in choosing their flag bearers, especially, now that it is the turn of Southeast to produce the next President of the country.
The membership of the Council cuts across critical thinkers in various fields of human endeavours
The Council, emphatically, restated that it is the turn of Igbos to produce the next President of Nigeria based on their contributions to the sustainable development of key sectors of the Nigerian economy, and having been denied this position since the end of the civil war in 1970.
Members of the Council stated this in a communiqué signed by its National President and former Justice of the Supreme Court, Hon. Justice Anthony Iguh and National Secretary,Professor Donald Okoli, which was made available to newsmen in Awka the Anambra state capital on Sunday.
The National Executive Council of the body at the end of its emergency meeting held at Onitsha on 11th of May, 2022 and led by Jon. Justice Anthony Iguh who was represented by His Lordship, Justice Alpha Ikpeama, deliberated extensively on the current state of the nation with respect to insecurity and the forthcoming 2023 elections.
It resolved that, “If the next President is not from the Southeast, that the region will be left with no option than to reconsider their continued existence in Nigeria.
They called on the “major political parties in the country to field their Presidential candidates from Igbo extraction in the forthcoming 2023 Preaodential election based on equity, justice and fairness.”
The NEC emphasized the need for an urgent meeting of all Igbo elder statesmen, critical stakeholders and National Advisory Council to bridge the cultural , religious and economic gaps in leadership and governance in the South East.
The meeting is to deliberate on the current security challenges bedeviling the region and other parts of the country and to proffer solution on the best ways to solve the problem through the creation of sustainable economic development on or before end of July 2022.
It also called on people from Igbo descent to unite for the purpose of achieving the Presidency in 2023, insisting that no politician from the zone should accept Vice Preaodential position.
Members of the Council however commended the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT)/National Coordinator of the group, Justice Ikpeama for convening the meeting and the women leader, Enyi Olikeze Nneka for hosting the body.
It noted that, “Ndigbo are known for their industry, hard work and respect for our values, culture and heritage and that the role of elders in Igbo land is far reaching as the conscience of the society and pillar of Igbo dignity and world view.”
