Igbo prepared for presidency even before Buhari became president, says Ohanaeze

George Obiozor, president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, says the Igbo are prepared for the presidency of Nigeria.

Obiozor said this in response to an article by Fredrick Nwabufo, a journalist and writer.

Last week, in the article entitled, ‘What did PDP do to deserve the loyalty of Igbos?’, Nwabufo said the Igbo are not prepared for the presidency.

“We, the Igbo, cannot sit by the Rivers of Babylon and lament our way to the presidency. We cannot have what we are not ready or prepared for,” the writer had said.

“If work had been put in by Igbo political leaders in the past six years — forging alliances and mobilising consciences — the right atmosphere would have been created for the zoning of the presidency to the south-east by the foremost political parties in 2023.”

But in response to Nwabufo on Tuesday in THISDAY newspaper, Obiozor said the Igbo have been prepared for the position before President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office in 2015.

The president-general said zoning the presidency to the south-east in 2023 is imperative.

“Let it be known and clearly understood that Ndigbo are more prepared than the North when President Buhari was elected in 2015,” the former ambassador said.

“As for those Igbos like, Fredrick Nwabufo who prefer to play the Manchurian complex as in his article in January 23, 2022 page 15, THISDAY, SUNDAY NEWSPAPER, implying that Ndigbo are not prepared, or drifting into one or another political parties should leave such criticisms to the enemies or rivals of Ndigbo.

“Patriotic Nigerians at home and abroad who understand the fundamental issues in 2023 presidency understand also the historic imperative of zoning the presidency to the south-east ,the last zone and only the zone left out in southern Nigeria in the first round of the presidency across the country.

“Consequently, indeed, it is politically wise and reasonable, morally justifiable and defensible and patriotically persuasive for all the parties to zone the presidency to the south-east.”