2027/2031 Presidency Offer: Igbos Descend on Atiku, Send Serious Warning

• The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has been asked to apologise to the Igbo nation
• The demand came from some Igbo leaders expressing their displeasure over a comment he made to help the Igbos produce a Nigerian president if he wins the 2023 election
• The leaders described the statement as an insult, warning him against denigrating the Igbo race

A statement credited to Atiku Abubakar that Ndigbo should wait until after his tenure as president to have a shot at the presidency has been criticised by Igbo leaders.

The leaders who spoke to Vanguard described the comment as insulting the collective sensibilities of the Igbo race.

The former vice president who is the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) met with the party's southeast zonal stakeholders in Enugu on Tuesday, September 27. During the meeting, he said he would actualise the Igbo presidency if elected in 2023, Premium Times reported.

Read also

2023 election: Ihedioha reveals 1 key thing PDP must do to win southeast states

Reacting to the comment, Igbo leaders demanded an apology as they berated the former vice president for being insensitive to the political marginalisation of Ndigbo.

According to them, the implication of Atiku’s promise is that if he wins the 2023 presidential election and decides to go for a second term, the Igbos will have to wait until 2031 to have a shot at the presidency.

It’s an insult to Ndigbo and unacceptable: OYC says

The national president of Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC), Comrade Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, said Atiku can't be trusted. He stated:

“We know politicians that can keep to their words and Atiku is not one of them. So what he’s doing is just to manoeuvre to get the opportunity to become the president of this country and continue his private and personal agenda.

Read also

2023: “Atiku’s Igbo presidency statement laughable, mischievous”, Ohanaeze backs Peter Obi

“Again, nobody that is reasonable will ask Ndigbo or South East to support them to get power in 2031, no. It’s an insult to Ndigbo and unacceptable."

Don’t denigrate Igbo race, Ikoro Ndigbo warns Atiku

Also speaking, a socio-political analyst and convener, Ikoro Ndigbo Assembly, Ugochimereze Chinedu Asuzu, cautioned Atiku against denigrating the Igbo race.

He stated:

"The presidency is not Atiku’s to give to anyone, therefore, giving a promise that obviously is above his actualization is only being unnecessarily mischievous."

I pity Igbos supporting Atiku – Nwodo

The former president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Dr Nnia Nwodo, asides from being from the southeast, Peter Obi is a far better candidate than Atiku and others contesting for the presidency.

He said all he feels for any Igbo political elite supporting Atiku is pity.

“All I feel for those Igbo, including my state governor and my brother, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, now supporting Atiku to be president after eight years of the presidency of another Fulani man when entire Nigeria is saying that Peter Obi who happens to be Igbo is the best candidate in the race, is a pity. But they are entitled to their opinion.”

Read also

Japa: “Buhari has ruined Nigeria but my children will not leave”, Atiku says

Apologise to the Igbo nation, INC tells Atiku

Also contributing to the discussion, the president of Igbo National Council, Chilos Godsent, demanded an apology from the PDP flagbearer for his" reckless and unguided statement".

He said the group viewed Atiku’s statement “as a total insult to the Igbo nation.”

Dino Melaye boasts of Atiku's capacity

Legit.ng had earlier reported that Atiku Abubakar was described as someone who is committed to solving Nigeria's growing challenges. This description of Atiku came from a former senator, Dino Melaye.

Melaye said Nigeria is extremely sick and is like a car driven by a drunken driver who has no idea of what he is doing.

Describing the 2023 presidential candidate of the PDP as a problem solver, Melaye assured citizens that the former vice president of the country has all the experience needed to put Nigeria on the desired path.

Source: Legit.ng