Ohanaeze Warns Atiku To Drop His Presidential Ambition And Support Igbo Candidate

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has warned a former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, to drop his presidential ambition and support an Igbo candidate under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Warns Atiku Abubakar

In a statement issued by the group’s Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Ohanaeze said Atiku should retire from partisan politics and adopt a humble position of an elder statesman without being dishonoured and disgraced.

The Igbo group noted that “any promotion of the northern continuation in power after 8 years of President Muhammadu Buhari would be seen as callous, voracious and selfish”.

Ohanaeze called on Atiku to support an Igbo candidate in the PDP primaries to avert a disgraceful end of his political career, noting that the present predicaments and penalties facing the South-East today was because the region supported the vice-president in 2019.

The statement reads, “Atiku has misread the mood of the nation ahead of 2023, and this miscalculation may retire him from partisan politics in 2023.

“Although he has the constitutional rights to aspire to the office of President in 2023, one had expected him not to rock the boat now that the odds are against him based on his age and his region.

“He should not fight dirty or appear desperate for the presidency, rather it’s time for him to voluntarily quit partisan politics and take his rightful place in history as an elder statesman without being dishonoured and disgraced.

“Ndigbo had expected that Atiku Abubakar should support a younger person, for 2023, especially after the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike openly denounced Atiku’s proposal for him to be his running mate in 2023. It is enough message and signal to him that 2023 is exclusively reserved for a Southern President.

“Atiku should search his conscience and support an Igbo in the PDP primaries to avert a disgraceful end of his political career.

“The Southern Nigerian leaders and Governors have vowed that it’s unhealthy for another northerner to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

“In 2019, Ndigbo showed enough loyalty to the PDP and Atiku Abubakar, and the present predicaments and penalties facing the Southeast today, was as a result of the support Ndigbo gave to Atiku and the PDP, but in 2023, Igbos will dump PDP if Atiku wins the PDP ticket.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo in alliance with other ethnic groups will ensure that any political party that refuses to zone their presidential ticket to the South will suffer in the 2023 presidential election.

“If Atiku continues, he will surely taste the venom of Nigerians in the PDP primaries and disgrace awaits him.”

Meanwhile, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has accused Atiku Abubakar of taking PDP members for granted with his presidential ambition, noting that the outcome of the PDP presidential primary election will shock Nigerians.