The supposed endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan by Ohaneze Ndigbo may have suffered a setback, as the Chairman of Ohaneze Ndigbo Elders’ Advisory Committee and first republic minister, Chief Mmabazulike Amechi, yesterday said all Igbo voters should vote according to their individual choice, adding that this is so because Ndigbo has no preferred presidential candidate for the March 28, 2015 presidential election.
Amechi, while addressing reporters at his Ukpor, Nnewi South Local Government Area country home, said the decision to advice Igbo voters to vote based on their choices was because the two leading presidential candidates, President Jonathan of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, APC, failed to reckon with the Igbo nation.
Amechi is among Igbo elders challenging the adoption of President Goodluck Jonathan by the Enwo Igariwei–led Ohaneze Ndigbo,
He said: “The caretaker committee of Ohaneze Ndigbo has issued an advice to Igbo voters everywhere to vote according to their individual conscience. This is because none of the two principle presidential candidates has come to discuss the four cardinal issues so fundamental to the interest of Ndigbo. These are security for Ndigbo and their properties during and after the elections particularly in the North; the callous neglect of Igbo territory since the end of the civil war; reparation for atrocities committed against Ndigbo over the years and during the civil war; and implementation of the recommendations of the Justice Oputa panel.
“Apart from the four cardinal issues, there are other vital aspects of government and governance which should have been discussed before Ndigbo would be committed wholesale into one basket of support for one candidate or other.
“As at this moment, the Presidency is headed by the South-South; the judiciary is headed by a Northerner; the two arms of the legislature are headed by Northerners; the Armed Forces and security agencies are headed by Northerners and non-Igbo. There is no Igbo in any of these arms of government in a federation that should reflect true federal character according to constitution. These are issues that ought to have been discussed with the presidential candidates.”
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