The apex Igbo socio-political group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has revealed why it has not announced its preferred candidate for the 2023 presidential election.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Speaks On 2023 Presidential Election
KanyiDaly recalls that the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere had recently endorsed the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.
Afenifere’s leader, Ayo Adebanjo, who endorsed Obi, said that the South-East deserved a shot at the presidency based on equity and the need to unite the country.
Speaking it had yet to endorse any candidate, Ohanaeze explained that such a decision ought to be taken in consultation with Igbo interest groups because “Igbo are a very democratic set of people.”
He said, “Ohanaeze’s modus operandi is clearly different from that of Afenifere. You know the Igbo are a very democratic set of people, so, we usually call a meeting of a wider Igbo assemblage and we look at the issue so that when we take a decision and an endorsement, it will be seen to be carrying everyone along.
“That is why we have not endorsed any (candidate) even when we know where we are going. We must call a meeting of all Igbo interest groups and we look at everything so that if we say something, it will carry the weight of the whole Igbo assemblage.”
KanyiDaily recalls that in May, Ayo Adebanjo had asked Yemi Osinbajo and Bola Tinubu to drop their presidential ambitions for candidates from the South East.