Foremost oil magnate, Prince Arthur Eze has insisted that a northern presidential candidate is the best for Ndigbo.
Eze said support for a northern candidate by Ndigbo will help them form the needed alliance that will help the people of the region attain power in the near future.
The famous philanthropist had two weeks ago jolted many, when he announced that he will not support the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, adding that Obi was not capable of winning the election, and that he (Eze) had told him so during a private visit
Eze who paid a courtesy call to the Director General of Atiku/Okowa Presidential campaign council in Anambra, Prof. Obiora Okonkwo at the weekend in his country home in Ogidi, called for support for the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
He stated that his (Atiku’s) administration will liberate Nigeria and benefit the South East more than any other region in the country.
“I urge the people of the South-east to continue the strategic relationship by supporting Atiku Abubakar in the February elections. The long-standing alliance between the North and the South East has always produced many political benefits to the region.
“I have known Atiku Abubakar to be an honest man, liberal, and a pan-Nigerian who aspires best for the nation, and he is committed to the renaissance of ndi-Igbo.
“He has demonstrated his huge love and concern for us ndi-Igbo by continuously choosing an Igbo man to be his running mate since 2007 when he picked Senator Ben Ndi Obi; again in 2019 when he picked Peter Obi; and now, Ifeanyi Okowa, an Igbo man from Delta State. He was willing to scale back his ambition if the ticket was micro-zoned to the South-east; only Atiku Abubakar agreed to such terms.
“It is apparent that with him as President of Nigeria, power is shifting to the South-east, and he will undoubtedly keep all of his promises.
“My appeal is for our people to seize the opportunity provided by Atiku Abubakar to renew the age-old alliance between the southeast and the north, which saw Nnamdi Azikiwe become President of Nigeria in the first republic and Alex Ekwueme serve as Vice President, while Edwin Ume-ezeoke was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives in the second republic.
“We have accomplished far more in this country’s politics through our alliance with the north, and in order to bargain for a Nigerian president of southeast origin, we must maintain that partnership through Atiku.”
