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Back Igbo for president,
Iwuanyanwu urges North
EMMA OGU,
Owerri
FRONTLINE
politician and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees,
Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, yesterday debunked the claim in some quarters that
the ruling party has zoned its 2007 presidential ticket to the North, saying
such position was not true.
He said instead an Igbo will emerge the
country’s president in 2007 just as he urged the North and South-West to support
the South-East for the position.
Chief Iwuanyanwu, who is also the Aha
Eji Aga Mba Ndigbo, spoke in Umuezeala Nsu in Ehime Mbano council area of
Imo State where former Speaker, House of Representatives, Alhaji Ghali Umar
Na’Abba, was honoured with a chieftaincy title during the coronation of Eze
Evaristus Iwuji as the community’s traditional ruler.
The event was also graced by Gov. Orji
Uzor Kalu of Abia State.
"We want our friends in the North to
support us for the presidency this time. We want the presidency this time. We
are going to work together for a greater Nigeria," he said.
Chief Iwuanyanwu, who took a retrospective
look at First Republic politics, said that Ndigbo had always chosen the
path that will foster unity in the country, even at their own cost.
He said the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was
given the offer of prime minister by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s Action
Group (AG) but Zik rejected the alliance solicited by the party to pave the way
for the emergence of Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa of the defunct Northern Peoples
Congress (NPC) because the party; NPC won the majority in parliament.
He recalled that Ndigbo declined
the offer based on morality as they believed that it was not fair to deny NPC
the right to rule.
Chief Iwuanyanwu on behalf of Ohanaeze
Ndigbo thanked Gov. Kalu for the African soccer victory of Enyimba
International FC, noting that bringing the elusive Champions League to Nigeria
back-to-back is glory which the governor has done for Nigeria.
"We are proud that the glory was done by
one of us," he said.
Commending Alhaji Na’Abba, Chief
Iwuanyanwu described him as a very illustrious son of Nigeria who brought honour
and integrity to the National Assembly.
He also paid glowing tribute to Eze Iwuji,
pointing out that the traditional institution remained the greatest and most
permanent institution in the land.
In his own speech after receiving the
title of Okwu Iwuoha (The People’s Speaker) of Umuezeala Nsu, Alhaji
Na’Abba called on Nigerians to appreciate and tolerate each other, saying that
with greater co-operation the unity of the country cannot be breached.
The former Speaker also called on the
people of North and the South East to sustain their relationship, stressing that
such co-operation will enhance the emergence of a Nigerian president of Igbo
extraction one day.
He prayed to God to provide the people
with a worthy Nigerian leader who will provide them with the dividends of
democracy.
Alhaji Na’Abba was accompanied to
Umuezeala Nsu by his former deputy, Nwuche, and former members of the House of
Representatives, including Hons. Levi Oguike, Tony Esu, Akan Eyo and Abdulkadir
Salihu.
He commended the personality and efforts
of another lawmaker in his tenure, Hon. Emeka Nwajiuba who is a prominent son of
Umuezeala Nsu.
Other personalities honoured on the
occasion were Hon. Stanford Onyirimba, Chief Pascal Egerue, Chief Rose Enyogasi,
Chief Jude Chikwe, Chief Benjamin Udensi and Ezeji Boniface Ogu.
Many prominent sons and daughters of the
community graced the event, including the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of
Champion Newspapers Limited (CNL), Mr. Emma Agu.
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