The Ohaeneze N’dIgbo Youth Wing yesterday described as unfortunate and a calculated attempt to pitch the North against N’digbo, the statement credited to the chairman, Technical Committee for the Actualization of Atiku Abubakar Presidential Ambition, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, that the South had held presidential position for 16 years.
The national leader of the group, Mazi Damian Okafor, in an interview with LEADERSHIP Weekend in Abakaliki said Chief Dokpesi’s ambition had beclouded his sense of reasoning.
It would be recalled that Chief Dokpesi while addressing members of the PDP at a consultation visit in Abakaliki said the South had held presidential position for 16 years; from 1999 to 2007 and from 2009 to 2015.
He said naturally, the North should produce the next president of the country in 2023 in line with the rotational presidency in the country.
Chief Dokpesi said; “The South had the presidency from 1999-2007 and again from 2009-2015. The tenure of the North is not yet expired, once it is expired, the South will produce the president, the South East in particular.”
Dokpesi also said the All Progressives Congress (APC) itself would not zone the presidency to the South East, adding that the clamour for power shift to the South East must be laid on proper foundation after 2023.
The Ohaeneze national youth leader said some elders of the country were still unwilling to solve the numerous problems that have bedeviled the country, adding that in a bid to remain close to the seat of power, they make frivolous and inciting statements.
He added that the statement was not only misleading but also delusive, adding that Chief Dokpesi is a man the younger generation was supposed to be taking advice from, but his statements were unbecoming of a true democrat.
“Just like the popular saying that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks, it is now glaring that Chief Dokpesi has no better means of selling his candidate but has resorted to making unguarded statements against Ndigbo.
“At a time like this when every well meaning Nigerian is shopping for a credible candidate from not only the South but the South East, such statement that is capable of regurgitating the old wounds should be avoided,” he said.
He called on the general public to disregard the statement and urged politicians from the South who have so far declared their intention to run for the presidency to be steadfast.
He said Nigerians were looking forward to what they had achieved with the previous positions they held.
Credit: Leadership