The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has said the proposal by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that he will govern Nigeria for a single term and hand over to a man from the Southeast if elected as president in 2023 is a hoax.
Recall that Raymond Dokpesi, an ally of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential aspirant, had said the former Vice President would govern Nigeria for a single term, if elected as president.
Dokpesi vowed to go naked if Atiku fails to handover to the Igbos after his tenure.
Reacting, Ohanaeze Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, said the remark was a collective disrespect to people of the southeast.
Isiguzoro also declared that Igbos will reject the vice-presidential slot, stressing that the region should be allowed to produce a president in 2023.
In a statement, Isiguzoro recounted how Atiku rejected a single term offer from Igbo elders in 2019.
He said: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has declared openly that attempts to trick and entice the southeast with attractive offers from the ally of former Vice President and 2019 PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Raymond Dokpesi to get southeast’s support for his principal (Atiku) in 2023 are hoaxes and collective disrespect on the sensibility of the people of southeast, no amount of enticing promises will make southeast to swap their right to 2023 presidency to anyone.
“Atiku Abubakar’s refusal to adhere to a written request from Igbo elders for a Mandela option of a single tenure in 2019 will continue to haunt his 2023 presidential ambitions, instead, he replied to Igbo leaders in 2019 with his then six years economic blueprint for Nigeria (2020-2026) which was a clear understanding of having the ambition of a two-term as president if elected.
“This evidence is now contradictory to the recent request from Atiku’s ally for southeast’s support, as no force can thwart the 2023 Igbo Presidency Project with vice presidential offer to the southeast, which is not feasible, as there will be a power shift from the North to the East in 2023.”