Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, and leader of the pan-Yoruba sociopolitical group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, have reiterated that to ensure peace, justice, fairness and sustainable national development in the country, the next president of Nigeria must come from the South-East.
Chief Obasanjo made the remark when the Political Action Committee (PAC) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide paid a courtesy call on him at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
In a statement made available to journalists in Enugu on Tuesday by Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, National Publicity Secretary, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Obasanjo said the least acceptable minimum is a president from the Southern part of Nigeria.
Recall that the Imeobi Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide had sat on Thursday, May 5, 2022, at the Ohanaeze headquarters, in Enugu and reached some remarkable resolutions, among which is the mandate to the Political Action Committee (PAC) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to reach out to the leaders of the six geopolitical zones of the country for collaboration to ensure that an Igbo of the South-East extraction is elected the president of Nigeria come 2023.
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The Ohanaeze delegation to the South-West comprised Ambassador (Prof.) George Obiozor, the President-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide; Ambassador Okey Emuchay, Secretary-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo; Chief Nnia Nwodo, former President-General; Prince Gary Igariwey, former President-General; Professor Anya O Anya; Chief S N Okeke; and Dr. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, the National Publicity Secretary.
Obasanjo welcomed the Ohanaeze delegation and commended the body for demanding their rights.
The elder statesman stated that he owes Nigeria his sincerity, objectivity and guidance.
He elevated humanity by stressing the need for morality, equity and justice in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural country such as Nigeria, adding that it is inconceivable to have peace and progress in a country that is rooted in injustice.
Obasanjo cited his speech on his 85th birthday, wherein he stated that “the major issue on hand is how to lift Nigeria from a country to a nation.”
As a nation-building process, he cited how his democratic government “adopted rotation and sharing formula for six key party political offices and government offices among the six geopolitical zones that stood the country and the party in good stead.
He said:
It was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) policy that made it inadvisable to have candidate from the South to succeed me after my eight years in office as president.
Federal character, rotation of power and such other measures are meant to help our nation-building process and more sure-footedly, move Nigeria forward.
Riding over these measures rudely, shoddily and roughly cannot augur well for our nation-building process and progress.
Obasanjo reminded Nigerians that he strived to ensure that he “was succeeded by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua from the North.”
Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Ambassador George Obiozor, commended Chief Obasanjo for his unwavering commitment to peace and unity of Nigeria.
