A First Republic Minister, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari does not understand the language of democracy.
According to him, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has repeatedly given a clear assurance that he would restructure the imbalanced federation.
He, therefore, called on Igbo electorate to vote for Atiku and his running mate, Peter Obi, to get Nigeria on the path of progress again.
Amaechi addressed reporters at his country home at Ukpor in Nnewi South local government area of Anambra State on Tuesday.
He said, “As the very last surviving nationalist, freedom fighter and minister of the first republic still alive, I feel compelled to say something and warn those who may be plotting to plunge the country into a major crisis that may threaten the very foundation of our federation.
“Nigerians must brace up and defend democracy and the federation itself. There is grave danger ahead. Those who destroyed democracy is 1983 are up again to deprive the people of their fundamental rights.
“They don’t understand the language of democracy. From what they are doing to the judiciary and legislature, one can imagine what will happen if for any error they are returned to Aso Rock.
“I call on the international community to help and expose the evil plans, of a cabal who wants to perpetuate themselves in power even if they lose the election.
“They have been badly marginalized, exploited, denied of their rights in a federation that they played a major role in founding.
“Atiku has also taken our own Peter Obi as his running mate. I call on Ndigbo at home and everywhere in Nigeria to turn out in totality and vote for the Akiku/Obi candidacy for the president.
“I speak the minds of the great nationalists like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Ahmadu Bello, Abubaker Tafawa Balewa, Obafemi Awolowo, Dennis Osadebay, Aminu Kano, M.I. Okpara, Maitama Sule, S.L. Akintola, Herbert Macaulay, Festus Okotie-Eboh, Nwafor Orizu, Joseph Tarka, Eyo Ita, Odeleye Fedahunsi, Muhammadu Ribadu, Zanna Bukar Dipchadima, Kola Balogun, Margret Ekpo, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, HajyaGambo Sawaba, Mary Nzimiro, Maggie Obinwe, Malam Umoru Altune, Bisi Onabanjo and others who have been silenced by death in pleading with Nigerian Voters to vote into power, the rare gift of Atiku/Obi presidency so that fraternal love and unity may return in a democratic united Nigeria.
“In the other elections, they can vote for their individual parties or conscience. Ndigbo should not mind a small band of mercenaries and Judases who went to Wuse Market at Abuja, bought some Red Caps, adorned the caps and trouped to Aso Rock, spoke some sweet nonsense, received some greasy handshakes and sheepishly smiled home. They represent nobody but their treacherous selves.”
On the call for boycott of the election by Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Amaechi added, “As a political father in Nigeria and Igboland, I had appealed to the youths of IPOB, in the interest of Igboland, not to pursue their election boycott programme. It is counter-productive and suicidal.
“I call on the government to de-proscribe IPOB. It is primitive injustice to leave the gun- bearing Fulani herdsmen and their jungle comrades in Zamfara State alone and turn to kill the youths of IPOB because they are Igbo.”
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