A foremost pan-Igbo organisation, the Igbo Leadership Development Foundation (ILDF), has appealed to former President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to shelve his statement’s status, which has been battered by his desire to return as President of the country.
The group acknowledged the constitutionally and legality of Jonathan’s aspiration but posited that the way is configured and the zoning and rotation principles at issue, which give the southeast the right of first refusal, place a moral burden on the former Nigerian President.
The position of the Igbo foundation was contained in a press statement forwarded to AFRIPOST on Tuesday, in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.
It was jointly signed by the Chairman of the ILDF, Dr Godwin Udibe, Vice-Chairman/Director, Public Affairs, Dr Law Mefor, National Secretary, Onyebuchi Obeta, Director of Finance, Chike Afoekelu and Director/South West, Sunny Eduputa.
Continuing, the ILDP said, “We share the angst arising from the massive support at the hands of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership in 2015, but we equally believe that joining APC in order to return to power is both desperate and precarious and likely not to have a happy end”.
The Organization urged Jonathan to instead of throwing his hat in the ring and incurring further reputational damage and suffering his integrity further, he should back the southeast, which has always stood by him.
The Foundation recommended that Jonathan should specifically reach out to his former appointees, former and present governors, National Assembly leaderships and members under his era as President, many of whom may be statutory delegates, and further appealed to them to support the southeast zone
“The aspiration of the southeast zone to produce the next Nigerian president is most justified and will be a win-win for all. Jonathan’s intervention in this regard will go a long way in pushing through the noble and equity quest. Dr Jonathan is also an influential and highly respected former President and is in the best position to appeal to his colleagues and even the retired generals and assure them that there is nothing to fear from the southeast Nigeria Presidency”, the Igbo body submitted.”
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