[2015: IGBO IN DIASPORA BACK S’EAST PRESIDENCY] --------------------------- A group made up of persons of South-East origin, Ndi-Igbo in the Diaspora, has thrown its weight behind the call for the South-East to produce Nigeria’s president in 2015. The group, in a statement by its National Coordinator, Geoffrey Nzeadibe, said it was high time the South-East took charge of the country’s topmost political office to give it a sense of belonging in the Nigerian project. Ndi-Igbo in the Diaspora also condemned the recent deportation of some persons described as destitute of South-East origin to Onitsha, Anambra State by the Lagos State Government. Nzeadibe said the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, acted in bad faith in deporting the alleged destitute of Igbo origin. The statement by Nzeadibe read in part: “Ndi-Igbo in the Diaspora endorse the call by the World Igbo Congress for a dialogue on the feasibility of the President of Nigeria of Igbo origin in 2015 and strongly condemn Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola and Lagos State’s inhuman action against Ndi Igbo. “Ndi Igbo in the United States, under the aegis of Pan Ndi-Igbo Foundation USA, Inc. (PNF USA), unequivocally and strongly support World Igbo Congress (WIC) in its call and agitation for the Nigerian president of Igbo ethnic extraction. We also strongly condemn Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola’s sadistic actions against Ndi Igbo. We demand that the Federal Government will step in to stop Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola’s excesses and reckless actions unbecoming of a governor. On presidency in 2015 and Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola’s actions, we strongly support the WIC’s deliberations on them. These issues have heightened the discourse and the urgency for the protection of Igbo interests everywhere in ‘ONE’ Nigeria. “In any case, we are now mobilising our members around the nation to attend and participate actively in the deliberations on the future of Igbo race. Pan Ndi-Igbo Foundation (PNF-USA) is now actively disseminating information about the WIC convention to ensure that members are familiar with all logistics in order to be present to discuss the feasibility of the Nigerian President of Igbo origin in 2013. This issue has united the two organisations and well-meaning Nigerians of Igbo origin. We are pleased that WIC has turned around to join PNF-USA to advocate for Nigerian President of Igbo ethnic origin, a cause we have been fighting for since 2002, when Dr. Alex Ekwueme presented himself as a viable presidential candidate. Unfortunately, he could not win the PDP presidential primary. Yes, change takes time, but we must not fold our hands waiting for power to be handed to us. We must be willing to work diligently for what we believe in; we must continue to fight for equity and fairness and not allow ourselves to be treated as second-class citizens in Nigeria. PNF-USA believes that Ndi Igbo have a pool of qualified candidates. “We will strongly rail against any individual or a group that will pretend to speak for our collective interest or will mislead our collective position on the presidency of Nigeria. We will never allow individuals in Nigeria to selfishly represent our collective conscience on the issue of the presidency. Too often, these individuals represent their own interests instead of fighting for the Igbo cause. In the same vein, no presidential candidate whether Igbo or non-Igbo will take our support for granted. Inasmuch as we are agitating for the Nigerian president of Igbo origin, we will not support candidates who have failed in the past to provide the dividends of democracy to his people.
Posted on: Wed, 14 Aug 2013 21:12:07 +0000
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