;Buhari’s re-election may disintegrate Nigeria- Ezeife

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Elders Council in Abuja has said that the re-election of President Buhari may lead to the disintegration of Nigeria. The Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Elders  Council in Abuja and former Governor of Anambra State, Chief Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife stated this when some members of the Imeobi led by the Director General of Igbo Mandate Congress , IMC, Rev Dr Obinna Akukwe paid him a courtesy call at Igboukwu  on Monday.

According to Chief Ezeife, ” Ndigbo believes in one Nigeria and we do not want this country to disintegrate  but a continuation of the present arrangement with all the numerous crisis across the country could lead to a situation whereby there’s no nation anymore, therefore let us preserve Nigeria first”

On the vexed issue of Igbo Presidencyy which  the All Progressive Congress led Federal Government have touted to Ndigbo in 2023 if they vote for Buhari’s second tenure, Chief Ezeife said that there will only be Igbo presidency if there is  a Nigeria. Going further he said that “yes we want Igbo Presidency, and our governors have been assembled in Aso Rock to persuade them on the project, but if by 2023 Nigeria has disintegrated, on what will the Igbo presidency float”

Replying to inquiries from IMC on how far Ohanaeze have gone in uniting those opposed to Peter Obi;s emergence as Vice Presidential Candidate to Atiku Abubakar, Chief Ezeife told Igbo Mandate Congress chieftains  that  Ohanaeze in Abuja have spoken to some of the aggrieved  parties and the efforts are yielding results. He described the choice of Peter Obi as running mate to Atiku as an expedient choice.

According to him “Peter Obi happens to be the most acceptable Igbo personality for the job. This man governed Anambra State and thinned down the paraphernalia of government, moves with few sirens, carries his luggage aboard aircraft by himself, all in order to save money to develop the state and he left over N70 billion in cash and investments to his successor, and developed the state in the process.”

 Going further he said that “all these attempts to blackmail him is an afterthought because the EFCC and other agencies had five years to investigate him, the sudden freezing of his accounts and  other spurious stories does not affect the capacity of Peter Obi to be an effective Vice President”

The former governor disagreed with Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB on the plot to boycott elections in the South East.  He said that boycotting the election is handing over power to Buhari through the back door.

The former Governor thanked all who attended his 89^th birthday celebration in Abuja last month. He said that the event was “well attended beyond my  expectations at the International Conference Centre but my regret was that some of the guests , including top government officials could not find a place to sit because the attendance was very overwhelming , drawing people across the entire Nigeria”

 Dr Ezeife tasked members of the Nigerian League of Pastors for Good Governance,NLPGG, Enugu State Chapter who paid him a courtesy call, with praying until God changes the fate of Nigeria and promised to mobilize fellow elders to join the prayers when necessary. He said that he is a member of Christian Elders Forum and understands that prayers can do what no man can do in Nigeria’s political equation.