Mbazuluike Amaechi, a First Republic Aviation Minister, on Thursday warned political parties against ignoring the Southeast ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
Amaechi warned that ignoring the Southeast ahead of the 2023 elections would not be a good sign for Nigeria.
He spoke exclusively to DAILY POST while reacting to the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The elder statesman also noted that whoever emerges as the presidential candidate of PDP and the All Progressives Congress, APC, is “my man.”
According to Amaechi: “All political parties are the products of our efforts to find a nation called Nigeria, and therefore, I’m the father of them all. Sometimes on May 29th, 2021, I summoned a meeting of APC and PDP in the Southeast and told them that it’s true that the Igbos have been disenfranchised in Nigeria and so deprived of their rights.
“Still, if they are going to fight for it, they have to unite and reduce the number of candidates they are having. As far as I’m concerned, whosoever wins, be it APC or PDP, is my man.
“If APC also fails to announce a candidate from the Southeast, this could lead to misunderstanding and ignoring the Southeast would not be a good sign for Nigeria.”
Atiku clinched the PDP presidential ticket during the party’s convention in Abuja on Saturday.
The Waziri of Adamawa defeated Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, Saraki and other presidential aspirants to emerge as the party’s candidate.
Atiku polled 371 votes ahead of Wike who had 237 votes, and Saraki with 70.
Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, scored 38; Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, polled 20 votes; Anyim Pius Anyim scored 14, Sam Ohabunwa polled 1 and Olivia Tariela also scored one vote.
