Mcdonald Harrison
Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has broken its silence following reports that a presidential nomination form was purchased for former president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to contest in the APC primaries.
Reports had it that Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders’ Association bought the form for Jonathan on Monday, May 9. However, the ex-president has dissociated himself from such an arrangement.
In reaction to this development, Ohanaeze Ndigbo in a statement issued by its Secretary-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, told Jonathan not to forget the sacrifices Ndigbo made for him in the past.
He recalled how the Igbos supported his administration and reiterated the sacrosanctity of the 2023 Igbo presidency.
He said:
“There is no going back to the 2023 Nigerian President of Igbo stock and anything contrary to it amounts to a denial of equity, fairness, and justice.”
“There are frantic endeavors and backstage activities to pitch Ijaws against Ndigbo, a repeat of 1966 gimmicks aimed at the resuscitating the age-long enmity between the two ethnic groups of old Eastern region, which was demolished in 2011 when Igbos adopted Jonathan as our own.
“We expect Goodluck Jonathan as an elder statesman and African iconic personality to endorse an Igbo Presidency from the seven Igbo speaking States, including Anioma (in Delta) or Ikwerre (in Rivers).
“He should not forget that the South-East and the Igbos were his citadel of support in 2011 and 2015. We became marginalized and were regarded as 5 percent because of the support we gave Jonathan in 2015.
“This should be a payback time for the sacrifices we made for the Ijaws and Jonathan in particular”.
