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Former representative of Kaduna Central in the Eighth Senate, Shehu Sani, has advised the Igbo to consult Northern Elders Forum scribe, Professor Ango Abdulahi, Tanko Yakasai and other northern elites to realize their quest for the nation’s presidency in 2023.
Sani stated this while hosting Edwin Ojukwu and Pastor Ejike Stephen Ajibo, who led a delegation of Igbo resident in the North on a visit to his Kaduna home.
They said the visit became necessary in their quest to have Igbo either as President or Vice President of the country in 2023 political dispensation.
Responding to their request, Sani said the Igbo in Nigeria have made huge sacrifices for the unity, peace and progress of the country and have made Nigeria proud in a number of respects, citing writers of international acclaim-Chinua Achebe, Chimamanda Adiche –as shining examples of the Igbo exemplary spirit.
He, however, cautioned that should lack consensus and historical divide between the South West and South East persist, Nigeria might end up having another northerner as President in 2023.
He charged the Igbo resident in the North to lead the campaign for rotational presidency, as they were more conversant with the North, noting: “If the rotational presidency fails, you (Northern Igbo) should consider yourselves as part of those who refused to do the needful because you are the ambassadors of the Igbo people in the North.
“Before you think of Igbo or Yoruba presidency, there must be that single step of accepting that we must not jettison rotational presidency. The South West and South-East must be united in convincing the North to get the presidency.
“I believe you should take your campaign to the President. Because I believe that the very spirit that made him pick Chuba Okadigbo as Vice President will return to him and think of those times.
“But for now you cannot think of competence and merit when there are parts of Nigeria that have not to produce the President of the country.”
He maintained that if the Igbo are desirous, it should not be about political party, but about reaching out.
“Go and meet the Ango Abdulahis, the Yahya Kwandes, Tanko Yakasais, the emirs and religious leaders, knock on their doors and advocate what you believe is justice and is right,” he stressed.
Sani said the Igbo have in the last 50 years, demonstrated that they are true Nigerians, arguing that if Nigerians read Igbo from the point of those who want to break away, the country has a different judgement.
“But when you read Igbo from the ones you see in your homes, villages and towns in the North and in all parts of Nigeria, then your views and positions about them will be quite different,” he maintained.
