Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) under the President Goodluck Jonathan administration, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, has reiterated his call for the zoning of presidential candidacy across party lines to the South East.
Senator made the call while delivering a lecture at the 6th World Igbo Summit at Gregory University, Uturu, Abia State, held over the weekend, in a lecture titled “Identifying the political interest of the Igbos of the Southeast geo-Political zone in Nigeria and Strategies for Its actualization.”
During the event which was attended by several Igbo statesmen and political bigwigs, he pointed out that the 2023 presidential slot is strictly for the South East region.
According to him, it should not be mistaken for the Igbos in Delta, Rivers, Benue or other States, as those Igbos enjoy the dividends of democracy in their various zones.
He stressed that the political office zoned to the Southeast precludes Igbos from a zone outside the South East political zone.
The former Senate President noted that states like Delta, Rivers, Edo and Benue States all have Igbo speaking populations.
Notwithstanding, he said, the quest for Igbo presidency belongs, not to the Igbos as a tribe, but the South East as a region in the Nigerian enclave.
He further noted with dissatisfaction that such Igbos, like the Minister of Transportation and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, are reportedly eyeing the Presidency in 2023.
He urged the Southeast to actively engage other geo-political zones in the country to strengthen its clamour for Igbo President in 2023.
Anyim, however, reminded the Igbos that Igbo President would not come to them on a platter of Gold but something that they must work hard for.
The former SGF said in part: “The rotation of prime positions among geopolitical zones has no doubt become a common practice such that, its breach generates political discontent.
“The point to note is that a political benefit accruing to any geo-political zone cannot be satisfied by appointing any person outside of that geo-political zone irrespective of commonality of language or culture, i.e. political office zoned to the Southeast does not extend to Igbos from a zone outside the South East political zone.”
The South East has been seriously demanding for a shot at the presidency after President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
The region, which premised their demand on the grounds of equity and justice, vowed that any political party that zones its presidential candidacy to the South East will get its bloc vote during the general election in that year.
