In search of dousing the smouldering Biafra agitation in the Southeast, a civil society organisation has asked prominent Southeast leaders in the two major political parties in the country to join the Presidential race to give the zone a sense of inclusion.
The Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy and Constitution (CDNDC) in a statement signed by the Convener, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, said the South-East must rise to the challenge of “vying, negotiating and winning the presidential tickets of the APC and PDP.”
“We are urging some strong political characters like Ken Nnamani and Peter Obi to run and strongly challenge for the Presidential ticket of their parties as a basis to negotiating the political future of the Southeast.
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“Southeast politicians must never play the role of onlookers or settle for what is left; it is capable of worsening the atmosphere of despair and feeding into the Biafra agitation because an informed people cannot be denied for far too long.
“We expect Senator Ken Nnamani to go beyond the launch of his book, Standing Strong: Legislative Reforms, Third Term and Other Issues of the 5th Senate; we expect him to announce his interest in the Presidential race of the ruling APC.
“While it is good for posterity to set the record straight about the failed third term project and give account of stewardship, it is also critical amidst rising agitation in the zone, to play strategic politics that will provide the Southeast with a sense of inclusion.
“The Biafra agitation is also a call for justice, self-development, fairness and restructuring; it must be on the table as we negotiate the politics of 2023 because the Southeast also deserves the highest seat in the land.
“The Southeast must challenge for the presidency, negotiate while the rest of the country must be ready to show fairness, as we did in 1999-2007 to the Southwest and 2015- to date, to the North”.
