Olusegun Bamgbose, National Coordinator, Concerned Advocates for Good Governance, CAGG, has advised Igbo leaders against neglecting the popularity of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in their quest to produce the next President of Nigeria come 2023.
Igbo leaders met at Igbere, Abia State recently and declared their readiness to prevail on the two major parties, the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to field candidates from the South East.
Bamgbose, who is also eyeing the position, described this as no doubt a tall dream, but added that the earlier the Igbo leaders realized that Nnamdi Kanu had become a force in the South East politics, the better for them.
Neglecting him, according to the senior lawyer, “will be at their own peril”, insisting that “Kanu must be carried along if they must actualize their dreams. Despising Kanu will spell doom for Igbo Presidency.”
“Igbo Presidency and agitation for Biafra are odd bedmates. The Igbos must soft pedalled on their agitations if they must have headway in respect of the Presidency,” the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, chieftain said.
“The Igbo leaders must have to bring Kanu on the table. This may seem to be unreasonable but it’s imperative that the Igbo leaders must get Kanu involved or else Igbo Presidency will be a total failure.
“The average Igbos believe in Kanu more than the Igbo leaders. Kanu is a force to reckon with, when you talk about Igbo politics.
“Like I’ve earlier on stated, I’ve made up my mind to end the marginalization in nine months of being sworn in as Executive President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“You can’t understand Igbos when you are far from them. Having lived in Igbo land for more than two decades, I sincerely believe I have what it takes to move Nigeria to the next level.
“Let’s tell ourselves the truth, Igbos started nationalism. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, of blessed memory, remains one of the foremost nationalist in the entire political history of Nigeria.
“No leader will neglect them and have a successful administration. Check it up from the regimes and administrations so far, any administration that gives Igbos opportunities will always excel.
“Check up IBB regime, Obasanjo regime, Yar’adua regime. They were outstanding administrations because they fully recognized the igbos .
“Any administration that abandons them don’t fare well economically and politically. This is just a fact that can be verified. The igbos will be well taken care of during my administration.”
