2023: Igbo people understand and know Nigeria better — Ikpeazu

Abia state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu has claimed that South Easterners understand and know Nigeria better than the other states of the nation.

He stated this while fielding questions from journalists after his meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja.

Ikpeazu while clarifying his stance on the clamour for a president of the South-East extraction in 2023 said he is not interested in vying for the position.

“I’m not interested in the presidency. I’m very busy as governor and thinking about what I will become now will amount to shortchanging my people who gave me a mandate for an initial four years and renewed it for another four years and it will terminate around May 2023.

“We are yet in 2021 and it will be self-serving for me to begin to think about what I will become instead of concentrating on serving my people for time they elected me.

“Maybe after 2023, I’ll begin to think about what next I’ll do.

“Having said that, I think that the southeasterners have a right to take a shot at the presidency of Nigeria and I dare say that our qualification starts from the fact that we understand and know Nigeria better than the other states of Nigeria.

“I dare say, this is my opinion. We go everywhere, we are everywhere, we invest everywhere, we are pan-Nigerian people.

“Today, a lot of people, on a lighter note are afraid of Sambisa. But for an Ibo man, Sambisa is a business opportunity.

“So, it will be preposterous of me not to add my voice to that one.

“However, the question of Nigeria president of South East extraction is a national question that requires negotiation, discussion and conversation with all parts of this country and I am least qualified to determine what happened in 2023.

“I also want to spend my time supporting the incumbent president to do his time and do his best while we wait for what happens to begin to unfold. So, these are my views about the presidency.”