Replay 1999 – Obasanjo, Falae Urge Nigerians, Back South East Presidency

• Insist injustice cannot guarantee peace, progress

Two elder Statesmen who were beneficiaries of the 1999 special concession that gave only the Southwest region the leverage to produce candidates for the presidential election have endorsed the South-East geo-political zone for the 2023 presidency.

Expectedly, the key actors of that era, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Olu Falae, are not mincing words that the nation’s highest office be zoned to the region for equity and fairness

It is on record that moving to assuage frayed political nerves following the annulment of the June 1993 presidential election and the eventual demise of the presumed winner, Chief MKO Abiola, key stakeholders and political actors across the country in unison conceded the presidency to the Southwest zone as a ‘peace offering’ to an aggrieved people.

Arising from that singular goodwill arrangement, that year’s electoral contest saw Obasanjo, who eventually emerged the winner, representing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) while Falae ran as the candidate of a loose alliance between the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and All Peoples Party (APP).

Obviously reminiscing events of 24 years ago, Obasanjo is insisting that the South-East should be allowed to produce Nigeria’s President in 2023, as a way of ensuring peace, justice, fairness and sustainable national development in the country.

The former President, who played host to members of the Political Action Committee (PAC) of Ohanaeze Ndigbo that visited the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta, Ogun State to solicit his support for a Nigerian President of South-East extraction, said the minimum Nigerians should accept is having the next president come from the South.

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s spokesman, Alex Ogbonnia quoted Chief Obasanjo as saying; “The next president of Nigeria must come from the South East. The least acceptable minimum is a president from the Southern part of Nigeria.

“Federal character, rotation of power and such other measures are meant to help our nation-building process and more sure-footedly, move Nigeria forward.”

Further warning that “it is inconceivable to have peace and progress in a country that is rooted in injustice”, the former President said; “riding over these measures rudely, shoddily and roughly cannot augur well for our nation-building process and progress.”

He praised Ohanaeze Ndigbo for demanding their rights against all odds and informed the delegation that what he “owes Nigeria is sincerity, objectivity and guidance.”

For the Otta Landlord, it would be dangerous to ignore the need for morality, equity and justice in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural country like Nigeria.

In his remarks, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo President, Ambassador George Obiozor lauded the former president for his unwavering commitment to peace and unity of Nigeria, saying he remains one of the strongest voices in Nigeria and one of the most respected Nigerians in the world because of his track records of accomplishments while his tenure lasted as Nigeria’s President.

He commended the former President for his courage, sincerity, steadfastness and passion for justice, especially as it affects the Igbo and the future of Nigeria.

Recalled that rising from its meeting last week, the Ime Obi Ohanaeze Ndigbo had mandated the President-General and Secretary-General to constitute a political committee to undertake a nationwide engagement tour soliciting support for a president of South-East extraction.

In the Ohanaeze delegation were Ambassador George Obiozor, President General; Ambassador Okey Emuchay, the Secretary-General; former president generals of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nnia Nwodo, and Gary Igariwey.

Others are Professor Anya Anya, former Chairman, Police Service Commission, Simon Okeke, and Dr Chiedozie Ogbonnia, the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

Support For S-East ‘ll Ensure Peace, National Unity — Falae

In towing the path of favouring a South-East presidency, Chief Olu Falae said equity and justice demand that as the only zone yet to produce Nigeria’s President in recent times, the Ndigbo should be fully supported by all Nigerians.

Falae, who spoke in a media interview, said; “I expect that the South East will have a fair chance to ask for the president of Nigeria because in recent times the president has not come from the South-East. I said in recent times.”

According to the former Minister of Finance; “For national unity and peace, yes, but the South East is not the only zone that has not produced the president in recent times. There are six zones now and in the recent past, the zones that have produced the president are the North-West, South-West and South-South.

“The North-Central, North-East and South-East have not produced a president in the recent times, so there are three that have equal rights to ask for it if we want to be fair

“If we want to use North and South, then it’s two (North and South) I insist it must come from the South because the present president is from the North.

“However, if we are talking of zones within the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, then we cannot limit it. We must look at all the zones that have not produced the president.” – With Vanguard reports