A Southeast group, the Njiko Igbo Forum, NIF, has risen in condemnation of the endorsement of the candidature of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
Atiku’s endorsement by Imeobi, highest decision making body of Ohanaeze has been attracting mixed reactions.
Apart from the Anambra State Government, which has dissociated itself from the endorsement, prominent Igbo leaders and serving ministers have also knocked the Ohanaeze for making such move.
Similarly, in a statement made available to DAILY POST, Friday morning, which was signed by Rev Okechukwu Obioha, the President of the NIF, he said his group, which is an affiliate of Ohanaeze, considered the development as disturbing.
“We view and considered the statement credited to Ohanaeze Ndigbo after their meting this meeting in Enugu as absurd.
“That the said decision to adopting Atiku Abubakar as a presidential candidate for the 16th February, 2019 election is of no consequence.
“Ohaneze Ndigbo is a social cultural Apex organization of Ndigbo. Ndigbo draws their political quest and aspirations from various political party platforms for fulfilment and therefore Ohanaeze lacks the capacity to so officially and publicly declare an interest for a particular candidate of a political party,” he said.
Obioha said “it is unfortunate that we have not learnt from History, as this was the same professional political blunder Ohanaeze Ndigbo made in 2015, when they refused a request from now President Buhari of APC to have an audience with him at least, but rather purportedly adopted President Goodluck Jonathan.
“No wonder we observed correctly, that the anger of PMB not to give attention to projects and appointments to the Southeast, was not just because of the 5% mark after the elections but the slight meted to PMB.
“Again, it is disheartening and disappointing for Ohanaeze Ndigbo to play this inglorious and unacceptable script about Atiku, when Ndigbo has in Prof Kingsley Moghalu, a potential and electable victorious candidate come 2019.
“We, therefore, call on the generality of Igbo electorates all over the country and particularly in the Southeast geopolitical zone to ignore this purported decision and report.”
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