The entire Igbo leaders, including South-East Governors, the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, pro-Biafra group, the political class, traditional and religious leaders of Igbo extraction, have demanded that the Igbo should be given the opportunity to be President of Nigeria in 2023.
In a communique arising from a meeting of the Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, organization with the South-East Governors, National Assembly members, South East clergy, Igbo leaders and women leaders, on Friday at Enugu government house, the Igbo insisted that the South-East should be given the opportunity to be president of Nigeria in 2023.
In the communique that was read by the leader of MASSOB, Comrade Uchenna Madu, on behalf of the people, they also demanded disarming of killer herdsmen with AK-47 in the South East, whom they said have occupied their forests and farmlands, destroying, kidnapping, and killing their women.
The Igbo, however, pledged to live and work peacefully with their brothers and sisters and herdsmen, who have been living peacefully with them.
They also requested for creation of one more State in the South East to balance the equation with other regions.
The Igbo also demanded that the South-East Governors should determine locations, where roadblocks are necessary for the zone, especially in emergency situations with a view to addressing the complaints of their people about many roadblocks and extortions in the South East.
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“There’s serious discrimination and marginalisation of South East Federal civil servants. We want the FG to look into this.
“Each state must set up youth Rehabilitation and empowerment fund to address youth unemployment in the South East.
“South-East should set up monitoring committee in each state made up of youths, Igbo leaders, traditional rulers, clergymen and Governors’ representatives and women to monitor compensation and empowerment fund in the South to be set up by Governors and the FG.
“The Igbo youths and MASSOB notes with sadness, that Igbo land is being discriminated against in the allocation of Federal infrastructural projects.
“We note specifically, that all the Federal roads in Igbo land are in a terrible state of disrepair. We, therefore, demand that the FG should immediately approve a substantial intervention fund to complete these road projects.
“We also demand that substantial allocation be made for major infrastructural projects in the 2021 budget currently before the NASS.
“That the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo should lead a delegation of South East youth representatives and selected Igbo leaders to the presidency, to make their demand known to Mr President,” Ndigbo demanded.
Among those who were present in the two days meeting and participated in the communique include President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo; Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Dave Umahi and Okezie Ikpeazu of Enugu, Ebonyi and Abia states, respectively. The Deputy Governors of Imo and Anambra states are also present. Others are the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; National Assembly members such as Senators Ike Ekweremadu, Sam Egwu and Rochas Okorocha. Former Governor of Enugu state, Okweseileze Nwodo; Former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Chief Dubem Onyia, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu. Also in the meeting were traditional rulers such as the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe and religious leaders from the zone.
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