Igbo won’t support candidate opposed to restructuring – Ohanaeze

Apex socio-political body of the Igbo, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has said it will support a presidential candidate in the 2019 elections who pledges to restructure Nigeria on assumption of office. The group insisted that restructuring was the only solution to the country’s challenges. Deputy National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mr. Chuks Ibegbu, who spoke to our correspondent in Enugu, said the pan-Igbo association would not drop its demand for restructuring for any reason. Although President Muhammadu Buhari recently promised to support the Igbo to produce the President at the ‘right time’, which many assume to be 2023, Ibegbu said Ohanaeze would only support Buhari in 2019 if he was willing and ready to restructure Nigeria. The Ohanaeze spokesman added, “The position of Ohanaeze Ndigbo on the 2019 election is that the Igbo will identify with a presidential candidate or candidates that are ready to restructure the country and exhibit equity in the polity. “For us, the issue at stake is not just the Presidency. You can be the President of Nigeria but still be unable to achieve anything. It is possible that a President may not be able to make any difference in the lives of the people as a result of the current structure of the country. “It is only through restructuring that we can have equity and justice. Restructuring is the solution to all the challenges in this country, including corruption. Without restructuring, you are wasting time if you say you are fighting corruption. “If we don’t restructure, Nigeria will continue to be the capital of poverty in the world.” Ibegbu urged Buhari to immediately send an executive bill on restructuring to the National Assembly if he needs the support of Ndigbo in 2019. He said, “Buhari should send an executive bill to the National Assembly for an extra state for the South-East and more local government areas. He should revisit the issue of abandoned property, and he should engage the pro-Biafran groups in dialogue.”]]>