The leader of the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, leader of the Southern & Middle Belt Forum, Pa Edwin Clark, and governors from the South-East region will on Monday converge on Abuja to persuade Nigerians on why the region should produce Nigeria’s next president.
Aside from Adebanjo and Clark, others to attend the Greater Nigeria Conference, which is slated for Monday at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, are eminent nationalists, statesmen, and foremost federalism campaigners, among others.
The GNC is a pan-Nigeria dialogue organised by a global Igbo think tank, Nzuko Umunna, to canvass support for a presidential candidate from the region during the 2023 general elections.
It is led by a former Governor of Enugu State, Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo, Senator Victor Umeh, and Senator Chris Anyanwu.
A statement on Sunday from the GNC Media Office signed by Collins Steve Ugwu said the conference is dedicated to awakening the best ethnic and political fraternities of Nigerians to appreciate the binding need for accommodation and sacrifice, in supporting a Nigerian president from the South-East region come 2023.
“The planning are complete, the audience is ready, and more patriotic Nigerians are now selfless in championing the truth, that our country can only get better and faster on the wheels of equality, justice, fairness and deliberate inclusion, to all her citizens, especially the Southeast people of Nigeria,”
the statement by Collins Steve Ugwu, the GNC Media Coordinator said.
“Aside from the nationalist patriots expected in Abuja, from all over the country are also our Governors from the Southeast region, who will play central roles in the big idea of a Nigerian President from the Southeast persuasion project. It is already heartwarming, and a sign of great awareness that one of them, Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo state declared passionately this week.
“That Ndigbo have cried enough on their marginalization, and Nigerians should grant the region a fair playing ground, come 2023 general elections for the Presidency.”
Amplifying this firm and fair resolve, he again called Nigerians’ attention to history, saying, “Most of the patriots who engineered the plan that made the Southwest region produce the presidential candidates for the two major political parties in 1999 are still alive and active in Nigerian politics. That same underlying love for the country that inspired them to do what they did for the Southwest in 1999, should inspire them to do the same for the Southeast in 2023.
“That simply is a factual foretaste to the many more of what Greater Nigeria Conference will put on the front burner, as they gather all the Presidential aspirants from Southeast before Nigerians to dialogue and persuade the election of one as Nigerian President in the spirit of Together We Can do better for this country.”