Last week, in the article entitled, ‘What did PDP do to deserve the loyalty of Igbos?’, Nwabufo had said the Igbo were not prepared for the presidency.

he apex Igbo socio-political group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, says the South-East region had always been ready to rule the country.

This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the President-General of the group, George Obiozor.

According to him, there are many personalities from the South-East region competent enough to become president, capable of confronting and solving Nigeria’s problems while guaranteeing a peaceful coexistence for all the citizens.

The President-General was reacting to an article by Fredrick Nwabufo, a journalist and writer.

Last week, in the article entitled, ‘What did PDP do to deserve the loyalty of Igbos?’, Nwabufo had said the Igbo were not prepared for the presidency.

“We, the Igbo, cannot sit by the Rivers of Babylon and lament our way to the presidency. We cannot have what we are not ready or prepared for,” the writer had said.

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“If work had been put in by Igbo political leaders in the past six years — forging alliances and mobilising consciences — the right atmosphere would have been created for the zoning of the presidency to the south-east by the foremost political parties in 2023.”

Reacting in an interview with ThisDay, Obiozor said the Igbo had been prepared for the position before President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office in 2015.

The president-general said zoning the presidency to the south-east in 2023 was imperative.

He added, “As for those Igbos like, Fredrick Nwabufo who prefer to play the Manchurian complex as in his article, implying that Ndigbo are not prepared, or drifting into one or another political parties should leave such criticisms to the enemies or rivals of Ndigbo.

“Patriotic Nigerians at home and abroad who understand the fundamental issues in 2023 Presidency understand also the historic imperative of zoning the Presidency to the South-East, the last zone and only the zone left out in Southern Nigeria in the first round of the Presidency across the country.

“Consequently, indeed, it is politically wise and reasonable, morally justifiable and defensible and patriotically persuasive for all the parties to zone the Presidency to the South-East.

“For any zone in the South to aspire to hold the Presidency TWICE while the South-East has NOT had it even for ONCE, will be politically and morally unjustifiable and a national political blunder as well as a clear and open case of discrimination.

“Above all, it smacks of reckless political adventurism to despise or ignore other peoples’ feelings or their fundamental rights as fellow citizens. No politician in Nigeria this time should have the illusion that Nigerians don’t know what is wrong or right, Nigerians are awake.

“In Igbo land today, we have many competent personalities that can confront and solve Nigeria’s perennial and endemic socio- political problems and guarantee peaceful coexistence for all the citizens regardless of ethnicity, religion or race. We are ready and with an Igbo President, Nigeria and Nigerians will experience the true meaning of a Federation with justice, equity and fairness.”