2023: Nigerian politics at point of no return – Obiozor, Ohanaeze President General; Says: Where president is picked from will send strong message to Ndigbo

As preparations for the nation’s 2023 general elections continue to gather steam, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has noted that whichever part of the country produces the next president would send a strong message to all Ndigbo all over the world about their destiny in Nigeria.

The President General of the pan Igbo organisation, Ambassador Professor George Obiozor, who said this in Owerri, the Imo State capital on Monday, February 14, 2022 added that “to secure the future and preserve national unity, Nigerian political elite must avoid the prevailing political myopia and contrived amnesia surrounding Nigeria’s political history over the imperative of North-South rotation.

“I understand clearly the dilemma faced by these leaders, but Nigerian politics is at a point of no return where national destiny is at stake and where patriotism and political wisdom must supersede personal ambition.”

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo President General, therefore, pleaded with the nation’s political class to drop all fears and prejudices against Ndigbo and forge a common front with them to move the nation forward.

He noted that Ndigbo as an ethnic nationality is blessed with a good number of capable, patriotic and credible personalities who are eminently qualified to govern the country and meet the expectations of the citizenry through equity, justice and fairness.

“Indeed, he or she will bring into office, an amazing sense of peace and harmony to the country, ensure imperative of national unity and commitment to good governance with dedication, decency and decorum.

Asked whether Igbos are campaigning enough across the country, he said since 1960, Igbos have been campaigning for their right to leadership in Nigeria.

“So, anybody who says that we have not campaigned enough about the 2023 Igbo President is guilty of historical fallacy because many of us know how often those rights and opportunities have been denied or ignored with impunity.

“How can one be accused of making noise over marginalization or discrimination in critical areas of Nigerian Politics and at the same time be accused of not making enough political campaign for the 2023 Presidency. Ndigbo have campaigned for any relevant National political office since the end of the war. Most Nigerians with conscience and patriotic zeal as well as friends of Nigeria inside and outside the country know this to be the truth,” he stressed.

He pleaded with all Nigerian political elites to set aside all fears and prejudices against Ndigbo and forge a common front to heal the nation. “Ndigbo need justice, equity and fairness and not blame game,” he pointed out, adding that “Nigeria will, above all, once again experience resurgence of nationalism with enthusiasm under an Igbo Nigerian President with malice towards none, and charity to all. We need a leader who can unite us as one nation and one destiny and not one Nigeria with disputed destinies as incrementally observed in our history in recent years,” he insisted.

Prof. Obiozor, a former Ambassador to the United States and Israel faulted the idea that Ndigbo cannot produce a candidate that is popular enough in Nigeria today, describing it as another historical fallacy and prejudice about Ndigbo.

“Throughout history who is popular among his rivals or who can be judged popular among his rivals where the name of the game is competition? Above all, it is part of the prejudice Ndigbo complain about that when the opportunity for leadership comes to them, our rivals and political adversaries always try to shift the goal post whenever Ndigbo are within the penalty box. How many Nigerians are more popular than Ndigbo political elites within and outside Nigeria? Actually, their high visibility and popularity in Nigeria and outside is part of their problem,” the Igbo leader stated.

He admonished the political elites to take serious note of denial of justice to any group or groups in the history of Nigeria. “In a country where you have a glaring statistics of power sharing history as Nigeria, there is absolutely no doubt that it is politically and morally defensible and justifiable for power to shift to the South and to the South-East,” he concluded.