Ogbonnaya Ikokwu, Umuahia
The Chairman of Board of Trustees
Igbo Think Tank Prof. Madubuike Ezeibe, has urged the five Peoples Democratic party governors led by the Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike, to adopt the presidential candidate of the Labour Party Mr Peter Obi, as their preferred candidate.
Ezeibe, said the group popularly known as G-5 will be making the right decision for Nigerian if they adopt Obi, given his acceptance by Nigerian.
He spoke in Umuahia the Abia State capital on Wednesday during the 4th Edition of the Igbo International Christmas Retreat organized by the Igbo Think Tank and Nzuko Ndigbo.
He said Obi, remains the most favoured in the presidential candidate in the 2023 general based on the qualities Nigerians are looking for in a future president.
He said, We are Igbo and have to promote our own and out own, think of age, mental capability, he is not comparable with ours.
“We are insisting that Nigeria should support a president of Nigeria of South-East extraction.
“In 1999 the current political dispensation with Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, then we went to North with former president Musa Yaradu, unfortunately he died and former president Goodluck Jonathan completed his termure
that was power went back to North again for them to complete their turn.
“We are saying that the Igbos should be supported to produce a president.
“I’m advising the G-5 governors to adopt Obi, because he we formerly of the PDP if the G-5 adopt him and PDP National Assembly members accept to work with if wins the election, that means the G5 has won because they will succeed in bringing the presidency to South, while the chairmanship of the party can remain in North. That’s a clever way of getting what they want”.
Other issues affect the South East and Nigeria discussed during the retreat include insecurity, peaceful coexistence of Igbo with other Nigerians and the creation of an additional state for the South East as recommend by the 2014 National conference.
In a remark the Local Organizing Chairman of the retreat/Leader, Nzuko Ndigbo, Chuks Ibegbu, revealed that the retreat provides all Igbo speaking Nigerian within and outside the South East geo- political zones the opportunity to discuss issues affecting them in Nigeria.