The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has condemned the statement credited to the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, that the South-East region will not get the 2023 Presidency by insulting and threatening other Nigerians, .
In a statement on Friday, by Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the Secretary-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the group described Governor El-Rufai’s assertion as “idiotic and laughable”.
It stated that the 2023 Presidency belongs to the Igbos, and the Kaduna State Governor should stop blackmailing the region, and focus on the security challenges confronting his State.
Governor El-Rufai had spoken during a Webinar, which was organised by the Africa Leadership Group, tagged: “Developing a Viable Nation 2”, hosted by Pastor Ituah Ighodalo of Trinity House.
Governor El-Rufai while responding to a question about why someone of Igbo extraction has not become Nigeria’s President yet, had said: “I do not think anyone has stopped the South-East from going for the Presidency. But you see, you cannot get the Presidency of Nigeria by threats, or by shouting victimhood. This is a political process, and you have to engage other parts of Nigeria, to convince them to support you.
“I think the South-East is going about it the wrong way, because if you look at the APC (All Progressives Congress), for instance, we do not have many footprints in the South-East.”
Reacting however, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide said: “Nigerians are aware of the backstage activities of Governor El-Rufai, as the ‘Idi Amin of the North’, whose interest is contradictory to the Northern collective interests.
“He is only pushing the selfishness of the few cabals deceiving President Muhammadu Buhari, without any solution to the insecurity challenges in the North, and now spreading in the South. We urge El-Rufai to fix the Kaduna State insecurity challenges, before discussing the 2023 elections.
“South-East is not alone in the secessionist movements. We have seen Oduduwa and Middle belt ethnic groups displaying flags of Oduduwa and Middle belt nations, as both groups are in the same self-determination struggle as the Igbos.
“We are aware that in1999, Nigerians voted for Yoruba Presidency, based on the injustices meted against MKO Abiola, which brought Obasanjo Presidency. We are aware that Niger Delta struggles brought former President Jonathan to power, in 2011.
“We are also aware that Governor El-Rufai and other Northerners used the Northern insurgency to push President Muhammadu Buhari to power in 2015. It is time to use the 2023 Igbo Presidency project to end the Biafra agitation, as any attempt by El-Rufai and co-travellers to blackmail Igbos with secessionist movements, is dead on arrival.”