2023: Ohanaeze Chieftain Reveals What Igbos Will Do If Atiku Chooses Running Mate From Their Region

A chieftain of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo socio-political organisation, Chuks Ibegbu has revealed that the Igbos will not reject the choice of Atiku Abubakar if he decides to choose his running mate from the southeast in the 2023 election.

He however stated that the implications of such a step will be critically considered.

Ibegbu pointed out that the Igbos never planned to be in contention for Nigeria’s Vice Presidential position in 2023 but with the recent developments, they also have to move with reality.

Naija News recalls Atiku Abubakar, a northerner, on Saturday emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2023 presidency.

He is expected to reveal his running mate in the coming days ahead of the main election.

Speaking about the development, the Ohanaeze chieftain in an interview said 2023 should ordinarily have been an affair of the south in the interest of fairness and justice but as things stand, Atiku is at liberty to choose his running mate from any part of the country, and if he adopts an Igbo man, they will support such a person so as not to lose out entirely.

“Atiku is at liberty to pick his Vice President from anywhere he likes, including the Southeast. Even if he wants to pick his running mate from Adamawa, no problem. Our people made up their minds that it’s the Presidency they want from the onset.

“We have occupied the Presidency, Vice Presidency, Senate President, and we are saying this is the right time to have political equity by allowing the Igbos to produce Nigeria’s President.

“Until such a time when Nigerians do not mind where the Presidency comes from and build an inclusive society that thinks more of merits, then things will be the way they are,” Ibegbu told Daily Post.

He added that politics is a game of possibilities and the Igbos would not throw away any suggestion without considering it critically.

“Atiku picking his running mate from Igbo land is not what we planned for, but politics is a game of possibilities, so we can’t rule out such possibilities. And like I said, it’s not yet over as there are other possibilities. Still, if Atiku says he wants somebody from the Southeast to be my running mate, we won’t reject because politics is a game of possibilities.

“Our people will come back to analyze, dissect, digest, and know the implications. Don’t forget that there are people from the other side saying we don’t want to be part of this injustice in Nigeria,” he added.