Biafra agitation could scuttle Igbo presidency in 2023 – APC

The All Progressives Congress in the South East on Sunday kicked against the ongoing agitation for the actualisation of Biafra, warning that the development could scuttle Igbos’ chance of producing the country’s president in 2023.

Spokesman for the South East APC Leadership Caucus, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, reacted to the ongoing agitation in a statement which was made available to our correspondent in Enugu.

Renewed agitation for Biafra, which was partly triggered by the detention of the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, and diector of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, had led to massive protests in major cities of the South East and South South.

The protesters, including members of the IPOB and the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, are demanding the recognition of Biafra, and Kanu’s immediate release.

The development had divided opinion among leaders in the South East, and there are reports that state governors and other major stakeholders would meet in Enugu on Tuesday to deliberate on the matter.

However, the South East APC has urged the agitators to “stop beating their war drum” in the interest of the Igbos.

Okechukwu, in the statement, expressed confidence that President Muhammadu Buhari would honour the zoning convention by handing power to the South at the end of his second term in 2023.

Noting that an Igbo is best positioned to emerge as president when the office rotates to the South in 2023, Okechukwu said the pro-Biafra agitation should not be allowed to scuttle the chance.

He said, “Going by the zoning convention, equity and natural justice, surely the presidency will rotate to the South in 2023.

“And when the presidency rotates to the South in 2023, we (Igbos) have all the cards stacked in our favour to appeal to our brothers in the South West, who have had eight years stint, and our South South brothers, who had five years plus in the presidency since 1999, when the 4th Republic commenced.

“Every rational indicator favours Ndigbo and so, we need to drop our hate propaganda and wait patiently to harvest the turn of the South East.