Some top Nigerian lawmakers have added their voices to the agitation for Nigerian President of South East extraction in the 2023 presidential election.
Speaking in Uyo on Wednesday, Christopher Ekpenyong, the Senator representing Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district in Akwa Ibom State said that allowing the next president of Nigeria to come from the South East geopolitical zone will deepen national unity and give the Igbo a sense of belonging in the country.
He stressed that since the North has produced the president, and South West as well as South South, that it would not be out of place if the South East was allowed to also lead the country for the purpose of equity and Justice.
He however expressed disappointment that the same issue of mistrust that took the nation to a civil war and almost dismembered the country has remained a constant discourse among Nigerians after 50years.
“My prayer is that we should allow an Igbo man to become the next president of Nigeria
“If the North and the South West have produced a president, why can’t the Southeast be allowed to become president of Nigeria?
“Igbo presidency is the path that will lead to deepening of our national unity.It will assuage the feeling of disillusionment among the Igbo. It will also give them a sense of belonging. No section has the monopoly of capacity to lead Nigeri. Therefore, everyone should be given equal opportunity to lead and contribute to the building of the country. No section was created to rule others for eternity. Nigeria belongs to all.
“There are competent men and women across all geopolitical zones in this country. And remember, the South West and the South South have already produced a president. So, my plea with other zones is to allow the South East to produce the next president of Nigeria.
“They should be given the opportunity to contribute their knowledge, experience and leadership capacity towards the growth of this nation, ” he said.
The senator representing the Southern Senatorial district of Taraba State, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, in an interview with The Sun monitored by Igbere TV also throw his weight behind zoning the 2023 presidency to the South East.
Speaking on his take on the zoning of the presidency for 2023, the third time senator said in all fairness, the South East deserves the chance to produce the next President of Nigeria in 2023.
“I wouldn’t know much and so I can’t say much because I don’t have much say in where the next president should from. Having said that, personally, I think it is time to give the South East a chance.
“But like I said, that is just my personal opinion and based on human thinking but you know, God’s ways are different from ours and 2023 is still a long way off.
“A lot can happen between now and then beyond what any of us is capable of thinking,” Bwacha said.
In it’s submission, the Nigeria Presidential Project, NPP, also said that it’s the turn of the South East zone to produce the 2023 Nigerian President.
The NPP Chancellor, Walter Orji, spoke in Owerri, during the inauguration of the Imo State executives of NPP with Ude Agoha as its state Coordinating Chairman.
Orji added that many Igbo politicians have made their interests known to NPP to run for the presidency but that they were waiting for the right time to go public about their political ambition.
He said among other things that NPP had visited the nooks and crannies of the country as well as some reputable leaders in different regions of the country and talked to them on Igbo presidency.
