Buhari cannot give Ndigbo presidency – Ebonyi Lawmaker

The member representing Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo federal constituency of Ebonyi state, Hon. Linus Okorie yesterday said that President Muhammad Buhari would not relinquish power to south-east people come 2023.

Okorie stated this While reacting to a statement credited to billionaire businessman, Chief Arthur Eze where he urged Ebonyi people to vote for Buhari in 2019 to actualize Igbo Presidency in 2023.

He advised the business Mogul o prevail on President Buhari to choose his running mate from the people of South-east as an indication that the President would hand over power to Ndigbo after his tenure.

Okorie, a two-term member of thel House of Representatives noted that the Igbo Presidency as being touted in some quarters was concocted to further displace Ndigbo from the emerging political equation which the joint ticket of Atiku Abubakar and former Governor Peter Obi will afford by the PDP.

He said: “however, the truly controversial aspect of Chief Eze’s, otherwise momentous visit, was his public exhortation to Ebonyians to vote Engr David Umahi as governor and President Muhammadu Buhari as President in 2019”. An incongruous combination, this has ruffled political feathers across the nation and distorted the altruistic intentions of the entire visit and it’s accompanying money rain.

“The wishful thinking by Chief Arthur Eze that it’s Buhari that will hand over power to the people of the South East is a mere political creation concotted to displace Ndigbo from the emerging political equation which the nomination of former Governor Peter Obi entails, by the PDP”.

“The options now behove Ndigbo to choose between the shallow promise of Igbo Presidency and the firmed Vice Presidential slot in an avowed one term Presidency. Arthur Eze should first convince the Buhari’s APC administration to pick his running mate from the South- east, as an indication of his willingness to relinquish power to Ndigbo. But the truth of the matter is that intriguing power play, both in the ruling APC and among the overbearing cabals, will not allow Buhari anoint his successor from the South East in 2023; were he to win the 2019 Presidency. The PDP and the Atiku plan remain the viable option for a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction in 2023”.

“While the High Chief is entitled to an unfettered political freedom of choice, his call, made on the platform of the State’s official functions, runs contrary to the expressed choice and preference of the larger Ebonyi people who remain unapologetically PDP. It also negates their well being and enlightened self interest”, He said.

Leave a Reply