2015 Presidency: Igbos should wait – Arewa Consultative Forum

As clock ticks for the general elections, Northern social-cultural group, under the aegis of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has dismissed the possibility of a president of Igbo extraction in 2015.
This came following recent declaration by some Igbo leaders’ that the destiny of Nigeria as a nation lies in the hands of an Ndigbo.
Kicking against the declarations, the National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Anthony Sani, affirmed that the south-easterners should hold on, noting that north’s quest for president in 2015 was based on merit.
Sani said, “By voting a southerner in the 2011 presidential election, Nigerians overwhelmingly voted against zoning and rotational presidency. So, anybody bringing up the issue of zoning is trying to draw us backwards.”
He further said, “It was Alex Ekwueme and his delegates that recommended this principle of geopolitical zone during the 1994/1995 National Constitutional Conference. The suggestion was that the presidency should rotate from one zone to another. Then it was put to vote and it was agreed that it would rotate between the North and the South.
“The South started with Obasanjo. After Obasanjo, it was the turn of the North. They chose Yar’Adua, may be because they knew he was likely to die. When he died, they said Goodluck Jonathan must become the President, we agreed. Then in 2011, they said there was no more zoning; that it should now be on merit and that is how Jonathan got elected as President. So, why are southerners now bringing up the issue of zoning again? We in the North are ready to contest the presidency in 2015 based on merit.”
It would be recalled that frontline political stalwart, Emmanuel Iwuanyawu, during a press briefing in Owerri, Imo State, recently demanded that the six zones should be given an equal opportunity to produce the president through a zoning arrangement.
Also, former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu recently averred that the only panacea to Nigeria’s problem is for an Igbo man to be given the opportunity to pilot the affairs of the country.
Third Republic governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife also believes that except an Igbo man is given the opportunity to rule Nigeria, the country would remain stunted.
He said, “I don’t know what Iwuanyawu’s line of thought was when he said that, but I say Igbo presidency in 2015 is possible and we will get it”
“I wish to state that those who think that they are punishing the Igbos by keeping them out of power are deceiving themselves. It is Nigeria that needs and Igbo President for this country to move forward. In fact, until Nigeria produces an Igbo man as President, this country is going nowhere. Igbos are number one agents of development wherever they may be. They are known for transforming their environment.” He added.

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