Politics

2023: No zone should contest presidency with Igbo – Ijaw leader

Saturday, November 02, 2019 at 12:18 PM by Jerrywright Ukwu

- A well-respected Ijaw leader has made a case for Igbo presidency in 2023

- Prof Kimse Okoko, a former president of the Ijaw National Congress, says no other region should contest the 2023 presidency with the Igbo

- Okoko said the push by some northern politicians for the region to retain power is provocative

Former president of the Ijaw National Congress, Prof Kimse Okoko, has said that for the sake of unity of Nigeria, no other region should contest the 2023 presidency with the Igbo.

The erudite professor of political science, made the comment in an interview with Daily Sun newspaper.

Okoko said the push by some northern politicians for the region to retain power is provocative.

He also called for Nigeria to be restructured along the lines of true federalism before 2023.

Hes said: “Come 2023, a south easterner; the Igbo man should be the president of the country, if we want unity in this country; if we want to be fair.

Read also

There is no way south-west would be better than the south-east on 2023 presidency - Edwin Clark

“I will not support the idea of a northerner becoming a president; I will not support the idea of a south-south person becoming the president, I will not support the idea of a person from southwest becoming the president and I will not support the idea of Middle Belt person becoming the president.

“I will only support the idea of an Igbo man becoming the president, and if we love this country that has to happen. If we want to perpetrate injustice that has kept us on edge, let the north have it; let the southwest have it or let the south-south have it and let the Middle Belt have it.”

Meanwhile, a recent media report indicates that wide-ranging consultations have begun in earnest ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

According to the report, the kick-off of political activities is due to the end of the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the February 23 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, which was dismissed by the Supreme Court.