BY OBUTE JAMES
The former Imo State Governor, and Chairman, Senate Committee on Culture and Tourism, Senator Owelles Okorocha, has challenged the South-East region of Nigeria to present a good reason why the nation should vote Igbo man as the next presidential election in 2023.
In conversation with Nigeria Union of journalist, NUJ as parts of activities marking Owelle Rochas Okorocha at 59 and Award of Icon of Service and Philanthropist in Abuja, he said the southern Governors are rooting for a president in 2023 that they should come to explain to Nigerians why Igbo will be the next president.
According to him, it is fair that the nation’s presidency should be zoned to the South in 2023 but it is not formally written anywhere because power is not given but is taken.
He further said
“We started with South-West when President Olusegun Obasanjo became the president,then we went back to the North when we had Umaru Yar’Adua.
“South South again with Goodluck Jonathan, and now the North is having it with the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari.
“So, why would it be changed when it is the turn of the South East again? It is a fair thing to do.
“If this is not done, then APC (All Progressives Congress) becomes a Northern party,” he said.
Okorocha explained how he related with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) when he was a governor for eight years.
He said that he could have asked the security operatives to shoot at them, but he instead listened and understood their grievances.
In his words”They asked me to join them and I told them if they can convince me to have another
passport (Biafra country) , I will join
“I could have asked my men to shoot them as they were killed in Okigwe and other states but no,I had to listen to know what they were going through.”
“That is how the Nigerian government should treat the youths, sympathise with them. Treat them well,” Okorocha said.