Ahead of the 2023 general elections, leaders of the pan Igbo group, Ohaneze Ndigbo, have appealed to indigenes of the Norther region of Nigeria to support its desire for an Igbo presidency come 2023.

Ohaneze Ndigbo made the appeal during a meeting with the national president of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), Yerima Shettima.

Speaking on behalf of the group, the secretary-general of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said the support of the Northerners is needed. He also hinted that Igbos in the diaspora have set aside N10 billion to support any candidate of Igbo extraction.

He noted that Igbo nations including their kinsmen in Rivers and Delta States, have abundant human resources and brains that can produce an outstanding president if given the opportunity. The Ohanaeze leader mentioned politicians like Rotimi Amaechi, Peter Obi, Governor David Omahi, among others, as presidential materials.

““We are here to beg northerners to support Igbo to get the 2023 presidency. We are begging the North to look at individual competence and not the region.

We are begging the North to give us the opportunity. You should help us because we know that the North plays the role of kingmaker in politics of this country. We are here to ask you to support an Igbo man for the presidency. There should be no more abusive words between North and South East as we used to read on pages of newspapers.

What happened to the cordial relationship between Zik and Tafawa Balewa? What happened to the good relationship between North and South East? We must bring back the good memories of the old days for the unity and development of Nigeria.

Igbo have over 1 trillion investments in the North. We are for one Nigeria; we are not for Biafra. We need somebody that is of age that can unite Nigeria. We believe in one Nigeria. We have abundant human resources that can take over from Buhari.

We have people who are committed to serving Nigeria. We have seven states, including Rivers and Delta States where we have Igbo-speaking brothers.”