The All Progressives Congress (APC) South-East zone, has appealed to
the Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB),
the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other similar groups to stop
“their war drum”, as it could scuttle the quest for Nigeria president of
Igbo extraction in 2023.
The APC’s stand came in reaction to the spate of mass action by Pro-Biafra agitators. Spokesman of South-East APC Leadership Caucus, Mr Osita Okechukwu made this appeal in a statement on Sunday. He stated that “whereas we agree that there is gross unemployment,
discontent and despondency among youths in the land; however it is not
peculiar to the South East alone.
The gross unemployment is nationwide
and would be addressed holistically, luckily our son distinguished
senator Chris Ngige is the minister in charge of Employment.” Okechukwu appealed to pro-Biafra agitators to stop their mass action
and drums of war in the overall interest of the Ndigbo at home, across
the country and abroad. According to the APC chieftain, “Ndigbo must be strategic in our
agitation, as every evidence suggests that we would be one of the
greatest beneficiaries of the progressive and prosperous Nigeria being
constructed by President Muhammadu Buhari. “We cannot act like the rodent inside the deep hole for years, only
to revolt when it was about to be freed. Methinks that this is not the
best of times to hype and escalate the agitation for Biafra, because
President Buhari has pledged to resuscitate the dilapidated federal
roads in the South East, revamp Enugu Coal, fix 2nd Niger Bridge and
other physical infrastructure. “For Mr. President, his word is his bond. Critical analysis posits
that after his 2nd tenure, it will be the turn of the South East to
produce Nigeria president of Igbo extraction. “Is it not paradoxical that the Pro-Biafra agitators were not this
hyper-active in the sixteen years when the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP), a party Ndigbo gave unprecedented and overwhelming support,
without commensurate reward, was in power at the center?
“Does it mean that the promoters didn’t see anything wrong when
former president Goodluck Jonatlhan, our adopted son, allowed federal
roads in the South East to unimaginable decay, couldn’t award the 2nd
Niger Bridge on contract bases like Owete Bridge and couldn’t revamp
Enugu Coal? “Available evidence shows that the promoters of the mass action are
suspect, as they neither sampled the views of majority of Ndigbo at home
or in Dutse – Jigawa, in Akure – Ondo, in Oron – Akwa Ibom nor Ndigbo
in Lagos, Kano and Abuja.” When asked what made him think Ndigbo would produce president in
2023, Okechukwu quipped: “Going by the zoning convention, equity and
natural justice, surely the president will rotate to the South in 2023. “And when the president rotates to the South in 2023, we have all the
cards stacked in our favour to appeal to our brothers in the South West
who have had eight years stint and our South South brothers who had
five years plus in the presidency since 1999 when the 4th Republic
commenced.” He remarked that “every rational indicator favours Ndigbo and so, we
need to guide our hate propaganda and wait patiently to harvest the turn
of the South East. To be frank this is the golden opportunity for us to
join the mainstream, and it should not be scuttled by Pro-Biafra
agitators.” On whether the APC would honour zoning convention when it is not in
its constitution, Okechukwu said that “in liberal democracy, there is
the law and there is the convention, but convention more often prevails
than the law, because of its moral weight.” Okechukwu maintained that more than any other factor, it was breach
of the zoning convention that signaled the exit of the former President,
Dr. Goodluck Jonathan from Aso Villa. Okechukwu expressed his sincere belief that the two major political
parties, the APC and PDP would obey the zoning convention after
President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years regime. “Therefore, instead of agitating for Biafra, Ndigbo should think out
of the box and put all hands on the deck, support Buhari to actualise
this noble objective”, he advised.
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