2023: South East intensifies lobby, seeks Yoruba leaders’ backing

As the battle over the zoning of 2023 Presidency rages, the South East has intensified lobby to get the ticket zoned to the geopolitical zone, findings by Daily Trust have shown. 

A highly placed source said the move by the zone which cuts across party line is aimed at securing sufficient support of other zones for the South East to produce the next president. 

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It was learnt that the zone is particularly lobbying other zones within the South to get their support with the Southwest being used as a springboard for the now intense lobby. 

Several politicians of Igbo extraction have declared for the presidency including Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, Senate Chief Whip and former Abia Governor, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, among others. 

Anyim was in Lagos over the weekend where he met some Yoruba leaders including the Leader of the Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo. 

Contacted, the spokesman of Afenifere, Comrade Jare Ajayi said the position of Afenifere remains that the South should produce the President in 2023 but yet to decide on which of the zones within the Southern region.