Pulled from The Nation online
Frontline politician and renowned Igbo leader, Emmanuel Iwuanyanu, has appealed to Ndigbo to suspend their presidential ambition till 2027, when, according to him, the south-south and the north may have completed their turn of eight years each.
Chief Iwuanyanwu, who is also a member of the People’s Democratic Party Board of Trustee, noted that any attempt to prevent the south-south geo-political zone from completing its remaining four-year-term may be injurious to the unity of the country, adding that Ndigbo had sacrificed a lot to keep Nigeria as one and can’t afford to jeopardize the nation’s unity.
Speaking with journalists in Owerri, the Imo State capital, Iwuanyanwu stressed that every patriotic Nigerian should be more concerned with the unity, progress and peace of the country, adding that, if the elections in 2015 are not properly handled, “situations could deteriorate to a point that it may be difficult to control”.
According to him, “I therefore strongly suggest that since the south-south region has four years out of the constitutional eight years, the south-south should be allowed to complete eight years. I once more appeal to my people of the south-east who are legitimately and rightly demanding for the presidency of Nigeria to subjugate this ambition to the unity, peace and stability of Nigeria by supporting the southsouth.
“After the south-south has completed its tenure of eight years, the presidency will naturally go to the north. In effect, in four years time, all Nigerians will support the presidency going to the north. After eight years in the north, the presidency will come back to the south. When it comes to the south, it will automatically be the turn of the southeast since the south-west and the south-south have taken their turn.
“This is a very trying period for our country and I appeal to all leaders to subjugate their individual or group interest for national interest. I must confess I have on my own held private discussions with some leaders from various parts of the country, making this proposition and all those I discussed with were in support of this my opinion.”
