2019: Don’t rely on Atiku only, VON DG advises Ndigbo

A chieftain of the APC from the Southeast and the Director General, Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr Osita Okechukwu, has picked holes in the endorsement of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi’s joint ticket by some eminent Igbo leaders led by elder statesman and erudite, Professor Ben Nwabueze.

Okechukwu, in a statement issued on Thursday, expressed concern that the concerned leaders were posting the statement as if their position was the most viable option when the collective interest of Ndigbo was properly assessed in a pragmatic and rational manner.

“Without being immodest, Professor Ben Nwabueze and co’s option is 2nd rate to Igbo presidency in 2023, if actually they want to finally address the age long marginalisation of Ndigbo and create sense of belonging.

“One as a supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari won’t come here to defend him for not appointing any Igbo man the head of any of the security agencies, that will be indefensible; however one can say that we have fair share on the Grade A Ministers. Buhari in addition did better in execution of critical infrastructure with little resources in less than four years than PDP with humongous resources in 16 years,” he said.

Okechukwu, who said an endorsement was normal in democracy, advised the Igbo race not to put all their eggs into only Atiku’s basket in order to reap from the more fruitful Buhari basket.

He said, “On the serious side of the political coin, one can sincerely state that there is no better way to once and for all create a sense of belonging for Ndigbo better than harvesting the rotation of president convention.

“By extension there is no better way to actualising level playing field, equity and natural justice than voting for Buhari in 2019, as voting for him will make his supporters to vote for us. His cult followership is mostly from the north. He is ‘Ekwom Ibe’ meaning a man trusted by his people. And when we talk of 2023, Buhari’s remaining four years is cast in constitutional stone more than Atiku’s pledge.

“In sum, I stand firmly by the position of our group -the Zikist-Buharist-Movement (ZBM) that, ‘History will not forgive Igbo leaders if we wilfully put all our eggs into only Atiku basket and drop the more fruitful Buhari basket,” he added.