Prospects of Eastern Nigeria, the hotbed of Biafra agitation producing President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor in 2023 are not getting bright. Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State who allegedly defected from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC) to pursue a presidential dream, is now saying that the region cannot produce Nigeria’s number one citizen without an expressed approval of God.
While insisting that the region needs the anointing of God to succeed President Buhari in 2023, Governor Umahi also explained why the people of the area and residents are adhering to the sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
According to the governor who spoke with State House correspondents on Monday after meeting with President Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja, if the situation does not change, the economy of the region will be affected.
Umahi said leaders OF Eastern Nigeria and Ohanaeze Ndigbo are working to address the grievances of the youths of the region, pointing out that on the issue of IPOB’s sit-at-home order, “It is a question of fear. You know, the easiest thing to do is to carry a weapon and kill somebody, and that’s what happened in the past.
“And that’s why, you know, some people in the south-east are afraid of coming out. So it’s not a question of compliance. It’s a question of fear. You’ll find out that no south-east man wants to miss a day of work. They like to work, they are into trade, commerce, and they want to earn their daily living.
“So this is something that the nation Nigeria must know. And it’s something that security agencies must know. Security agencies must know that they owe south-east people the duty to protect their lives and this is the reason why it appears that in some states, there is compliance to sit at home, even though like you said, IPOB has said it’s suspended.’’
While calling on the people of the area not to allow the region’s economy to be crippled, he adds, “but it’s the worst thing to happen to south-east because it will destroy the economy of South-East.”
On the 2023 presidential election, Umahi said it was “too early and distracting to talk about it. My position is that our people that are in those political parties are making the efforts in selling the need for south-east to produce the next president. But I think both the governors and Mr. President should not be distracted.”
Governor Umahi says he hopes the next president of the country will be as kind-hearted as President Buhari. He made the remark while noting that God would give the country a personality with a “good heart” like President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
Umahi said members of different political parties from the East were working within their parties to ensure that they concede their presidential tickets to the region, and on the questions on whether the East was working towards a presidential candidate said Southeasterners in political parties were selling the southeast to their parties.
“My position about what you ask is that our people that are in those political parties are making the effort in selling the need for the southeast to produce the next president. But I think both the governors and Mr. President should not be distracted. When the elections are done and won, it should be governance. But in this country, the moment the election is completed, the next one starts is the masses that are being cheated.
“So, those whose job politics and who are not into elected position, or appointed position have all the time and the opportunity to do this canvassing. And I think that doing it and that doing it very well. But I continue to say that power rests in the hands of God. And God will also give us the next president who has a good heart like President Buhari for the good of this country.
“We need God’s own anointing for our own anointed president for the interests and unity of this country.”
