BY BENEDICT NWACHUKWU, ABUJA
Presidential aspirants of Igbo extraction in the ruling All Progressives Congress rose from a meeting on Sunday, with a resolution to support anyone among them that emerges as the party’s candidate in the forthcoming primaries.
The aspirants who met behind closed doors at the Maitama home of a former Imo State governor included former Minister of Education (state), Emeka Nwajiuba, former Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, Senator Rochas Okorocha, Ken Nnamani and Mrs. Uju Ken-Ohanenye.
Another aspirant, Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi joined the meeting virtually, after he had to cut short his visit to Abuja to get relevant documents for his screening in Abakaliki.
The meeting was chaired by Onu.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and read by Nnamani, the aspirants agreed to align with the decision of the party, which they said will do the right thing and heed the clamour for power shift to the South East.
In the communiqué jointly signed by the aspirants, Nnamani, Onu, Okorocha, Umahi, Nwajiuba and Moluku, the aspirants commended the APC leadership and the people of the South East “for commitment to the unity of Nigeria and the inclusion of all parts of Nigeria in the governance architecture of the country”.
It reads, “A communiqué issued at the meeting of the Southeast Presidential aspirants of the APC. At its review meeting held today the 22nd of May, 2022 at the residence of Senator Rochas Okorocha, under the Chairmanship of His Excellency Ogbonnaya Onu, the Aspirants agree to make the following statements;
“That the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the All Progressive Congress and its National Working Committee as well the teeming members of the party are commended by the entire people of the southeast on their avowed commitment to the unity of Nigeria and the inclusion of all parts of Nigeria in the governance architecture of the country.
“That we commend all Nigerians who are committed to the Nigerian project by the whole-hearted support of the aspiration of the South East to produce the next Nigerian president in 2023.
“That in furtherance of this commitment all aspirants here commit to aligning with any of the South East aspirants that is accepted by and chosen by other Nigerians to fly the APC flag.”
