We will mobilise South to boycott election if presidential candidates emerge from North, says Ohanaeze

APEX Igbo socio- cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, vowed to mobilise Southern governors and socio- cultural groups from the South to encourage their people to boycott the 2023 presidential election, especially if the Northern candidates emerge in APC and PDP.

In a statement in Abakaliki, which was made available to The Guardian, the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, noted that whenever it gets to the turn of the Igbo, the narratives change against them. He added that, this time, the South would resist it if an Igbo man did not get the ticket.

Isiguzoro noted that whenever it’s time for Igbo to attain any position, there would always be gang ups and clandestine networks to fuel crisis and disasters against them, insisting that there will be boycotts in 2023 presidential elections when it becomes obvious that Igbo are no longer available to be voted for as Nigerians.

He blasted Arewa Consultation Forum ( ACF), Northern Elders Forum ( NEF) and others for fanning the embers of political commotion and disharmony by supporting abolition of the gentleman’s agreement that power should rotate between North and South.

The statement reads: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo has cautioned ACF, NEF and others fanning the embers of political commotion and disharmony by supporting the abolition of the gentleman’s agreement that power should rotate between North and South, that they should be ready for the fallouts and consequences that would follow such obnoxious standpoints and declarations.

“It’s obvious that the NEF has opted for absurdity on issues that will strengthen internal democracy in all political parties. Any attempt by Northern socio- cultural groups to armtwist the two major political parties, through their sons who are National Chairmen of APC and PDP to derail the electoral process, would lead to revolts and boycotts of 2023 presidential election in the South, especially in the East.

“It’s obvious that the leaderships of political parties are under coercion from Northern lobbyists and Northern socio- cultural groups to destroy the trust and confidence that bind Nigerians together through the rotational presidency between the North and South.

“We believe that those who have coerced the national parties’ chairmen to compromise on zoning, should have learned from the sad experiences of the North since 2013, when they compromised the security of life and property, through the frustration of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and installed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015. Has insecurity in North reduced with Buhari as President?”