It won’t end well for Nigeria if we are denied the presidency — Umahi threatened

Governors of the South East region, are all out for a South Eastern President come 2023 irrespective of political party or zoning arrangements which has since become a massive bone of contention between the North and South, as Buhari’s days in office gradually folds. 

The Governors who made their position clear in a statement by Chairman of the South East Governors Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, on Friday, said whatever major political parties in the country chose to do, it is expedient, that the next president comes from the South East region in the interest of Nigeria’s unity.

Umahi warned saying it won’t end well for the country if the South East is denied the chance to lead the country after many years of being sidelined. 

According to him, the region has sacrificed a lot and must be allowed to produce the next President of the country whether zoning or not zoning. 

Speaking during a prayer summit organised by the state government at Ecumenical centre, Abakaliki, he said: “We will continue to say as a father of the statement that we will not belong to Biafra, we will not. 

“We will not go back to second slavery, we will not. We want to belong to Nigeria, we want to belong to fair play and equitable Nigeria. 

“And let me state very clear, zoning or no zoning party or no party, south east must not be schemed out of the affairs of this nation, it must not be schemed out. 

“What is good for other states, is good for south east, it doesn’t matter whom God enthrones. Let south east be properly intergrated in the affairs of this nation. We are nation builders, we should not be filt. 

“We have investments in every part of this country and people use hate speeches to keep us down, people should not be afraid of us. 

“We will work with the people for love and unity of this country. Give us a chance, treat us fairly for we have sacrificed. Even the states that are asking for VAT to collect, we have contributed alot in building those states.”

Meanwhile, spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has said heaven will not fall if a northerner is elected the next Nigerian President, and that those not ready to accept it, are free to leave the country.

He said, “The North is not for sale and northerners will surprise those waiting for them to queue up in 2023 and be given money in exchange for their votes.”

“We will lead Nigeria the way we have led Nigeria before, whether we are President or Vice President, we will lead Nigeria. We have the majority of the votes and the democracy says vote whom you want.

“Why should we accept second class position when we know we can buy form and contest for first class and we will win?

“Why does anybody need to threaten us and intimidate us? We will get that power, but be humble because power comes from God. We inherited leadership, being honest is not being stupid.

“There are Nigerians who believe that because the economy of the North is being crumbled; we are running away from insecurity, we are politically vulnerable, they think they can buy us for 2023 but they are making a mistake.

“We are ready for this; we will consider every economic adversity, challenge, we will fix the Northern economy and we are the only one who can fix this Northern economy. For that reason, we are not for sale. We are in the process of rebuilding the North and we will rebuild the North from 2023.”