Senator Reveals What Igbos Must Do To Get 2023 Presidency

Igbos Charged To Reclaim Political Relevance

Chris Adighije, a former senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, has declared the South-East region is in a good position to replace President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

He, however, noted that in order to achieve this objective, the region must negotiate with the South-West region.

The former lawmaker pointed out that any region, individual or group taking the Igbo for granted is doing so at their own peril, adding that the Igbo are resourceful and won’t accept to be underrated.

“I have used the word strategy. It will not be strategic for me at this point to say whether we are going to meet or not,” he was quoted by Sun.

“It’s part of the strategy I am talking about. You can’t get anything without negotiation.

“You have to negotiate with other regions of the country. Before we go into that negotiation, you have to put your house in order.

“Many people think that it is impossible for the South East to put its house in order. But that statement lacks merits. That’s not true. I know that Igbo are resourceful.

“The only thing the Igbo won’t accept is for them to be underrated. Don’t underrate the South East.

“Anybody doing that is doing it at his or her own peril. At the appropriate time, our strategy will become clearer.

“Igbo has its own style of politics. We are mature people and we have produced people like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Michael Okpara and others.

“So, we can’t say South Easterners don’t play politics. There is a need for reorientation and plan in view of the fact that the South-East was hitherto the majority. We are now becoming a minority.

“We have to reorganise our strategy and approach to national issues. We need to demonstrate this with this issue between Kalu and Ohaubunwa.

“We should think about this strategy, come together and talk to individuals. Let people understand where we are coming from. This will also affect other issues and positions in the future.

“We need to begin to talk to ourselves. We are becoming an endangered region. We have the least number of states.

“There is no way we can balance up with the way we are going. We need to stand for ourselves as a people. Politics is a game of power and we need to plan.

“We must try and do the right thing. So, if you want to quote me, let it be on record that I said the South East needs to re-strategise.”

The former lawmaker’s view is in line with that of Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment who said equity favours the region to produce the next President of Nigeria, but added that they must work hard and position themselves for it.