Political parties should field only Igbos for 2023 presidential election – Njoku

As the clamour for the 2023 elections continue to thicken, Lagos lawyer and political analyst, Aham Njoku has joined the debate on why the presidential slot should be zoned to the southeast.

Njoku told AF24NEWS on Sunday that the major political parties should field Igbo candidates as their presidential flag bearers in 2023.

He sited the politicking in 1999 when the two major political parties zoned the presidential slot to southwest and allowed only Yorubas to contest in the election.

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The lawyer said  that the Southeast has enough credible personalities to contest the election.

He listed 14 possible candidates of Igbo extraction who can occupy the office of the president of Nigeria. The names of possible contestants are: Peter Obi, Nnia Nwodo, Chris Ngige, Ogbonnaya Onu, Pius Anyim, Ike Enweremadu, Emeka Ihedioha, Chibuike Amaechi,  Ezenwo Wike, Ifeanyi Okowa, Dave Umahi, Emeka Nwajiuba, Obi Aguocha and  Kingsley Moghalu

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Njoku argued that denying the Igbos their chance to lead the country in 2023 would further fuel the belief they are second class citizens of Nigeria.

He said, “There is need to give every Igbo person a sense of belonging. We are also projecting our unity to the rest of Nigerians.

“We want to show contrary to the propaganda in some quarters, that Igbos have more than enough presidential materials.

“We are saying that all political parties should adopt an Igbo presidential candidate. Just like in 1999 when both PDP and AD fielded two Yoruba presidential candidates, Igbos now should be fielded in all political parties.

“Since independence the North has always been the political partners of the East. In 1960 Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe was the President while Alhaji Tafawa Balewa was the Prime minister. In 1979 President Shehu Shagari was the President and Dr Alex Ekwueme was the Vice President. Even President Babangida chose Ebitu Ukiwe to be his vice.

“Bola Tinubu knows that it is the turn of the Igbos to produce the President. He should wait till it’s the turn of Yorubas. Don’t forget that in 1999 Igbos were shortchanged when Dr Alex Ekwueme was asked to step aside for Olusegun Obasanjo to assuage the Yorubas for MKO Abiola’s issues with federal government.”