Popular Igbo socio-cultural organisation Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has said that the Igbo spirit will be against former President Goodluck Jonathan if he fails to support the realisation of a president of Igbo extraction in 2023.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo National Publicity Secretary, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, in an interview with one of our correspondents in Enugu, said that the suffering Ndigbo were going through under the regime of President Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) was because of the support Igbo gave Jonathan.
Ogbonnia was asked to comment on a report (not in The PUNCH) that Jonathan on December 27 met South-South leaders coordinating his alleged plan to contest the 2023 presidency.
According to the report, the meeting was held at Aridolf Hotels and Spars, Yenagoa.
There have been reports that some northern All Progressives Congress governors were plotting Jonathan’s return to Presidency to assuage the South and enable the North to return to power after four years.
Commenting on the development, Ohanaeze Ndigbo spokesman stated, “The Igbo position on Jonathan’s (alleged) presidential ambition in 2023 is that the Igbo spirit will be against him, the totality of Igbo spirit will be against him and he should realise it.
“Because he is expected to support the Igbo; a form of spiritual reciprocity, to reciprocate the Igbo kind gesture towards him.” He disclosed that whatever Igbo suffered under the regime of President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) was because of Jonathan.
“Whatever you see the Igbo suffered under President Buhari was as a result of the support we gave Jonathan. He should realise it. That is the Ohanaeze Ndigbo position and by extension Igbo position.” he added.
A group, the South-South Presidency in 2023, faulted a report that Jonathan had accepted to contest the 2023 presidency.
The group, however, says it will ensure that any political party that presents a candidate from the zone as vice president will not get the support of the people there.
Chief Dikivie Ikiogha, who is the National Chairman of the group and political associate of Jonathan stated this in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Monday.
He debunked reports that Jonathan had accepted to run for the presidency next year.
According to him, “I have just seen a publication credited to the group, saying that the former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan has accepted to run for the presidency. That is not correct. We will be happy. Anybody who wants to run for the presidency from South-South, we will be very happy about it.
