‘Why Jonathan Must Drop Ambition, Back Igbo Presidency In 2023’

The Igbo socio-cultural group Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has called on former President Goodluck Jonathan to drop his ambition and back a presidential candidate from the Southeast.

Reports emerged on Monday which revealed that Jonathan had met with a Southsouth group pushing him to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

According to the report, the former president had met the group at Aridolf Hotels and Spars, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

Speaking to The PUNCH on the report, Ohanaeze Ndigbo National Publicity Secretary, Chief Alex Ogbonnia warned that the Igbo spirit will be against Jonathan if he fails to support the Igbos for presidency.

According to him, the support for Jonathan in 2015 is responsible for the current suffering of Ndigbo under the administration of President Buhari.

He said, “The Igbo position on Jonathan’s (alleged) presidential ambition in 2023 is that the Igbo spirit will be against him, the totality of Igbo spirit will be against him and he should realise it.

“Because he is expected to support the Igbo; a form of spiritual reciprocity, to reciprocate the Igbo kind gesture towards him.”

He added, “Whatever you see the Igbo suffered under President Buhari was as a result of the support we gave Jonathan. He should realise it. That is the Ohanaeze Ndigbo position and by extension Igbo position.”