2019 General Elections: Igbo Groups Lobby For Senate President

Eniola Olayemi

The coalition of Igbo groups on Friday said they would prefer to support the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Muhammadu Buhari to gain Senate president if the party wins in the forthcoming elections.

The groups namely World Igbo Youth Council, South East Women Professionals, and Igbo Students movement made their feelings known when they met with the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council ahead of 2019 elections.

Addressing journalists in Abakaliki at the end of the meeting, Mazi Alex Okemiri who stood as the President of World Igbo Youth Council, insisted that the options of 2023 Igbo Presidency, Position of Vice President in PDP and Senate President under APC were issues deliberated at their meeting on Friday.

“We weigh the option of South East benefits as Vice President and Senate President and had Persuaded Ohanaeze Youths to back it up and throw open support to APC in 2019.

“Reason is that we consider the fate that some South East Governors who did very well in their first tenure should be re-elected and not risk their seats in name of supporting PDP in 2019, so these issues were discussed.

“Therefore, considering the danger inherent, we decided to come and discuss with the leaders of Ohanaeze youth and to tell them our feelings and for them to also see reason with us during next monthly meeting of Ndigbo where Ndigbo will come open to pronouncement their preferred presidential candidate,” he said.

Those who attended the meeting were Mr. Chidera Uduocha President Igbo Students Movement, Dr. Helen Ogbonnaya, southeast women professionals, Obinna Achionye, deputy president general Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth.

The groups were received by the executive members of Ohanaeze Youth Council led by their president general, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro.