The Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, COSEYL, has expressed displeasure on the decision by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Committee on zoning to throw the party’s presidential ticket to all contenders.
In a statement by its President-General, Goodluck Ibem, the coalition alleged that the move was aimed at sidelining the region despite the efforts of Southeast to keep the party together.
The statement said the decision was a calculated attempt to frustrate the long years of loyalty of the people of the South East who have stood with the party since its inception in 1998, saying Ndigbo have been great supporters of the main opposition party.
“We want to bring it to the knowledge of the PDP that, if they fail to zone the PDP Presidential ticket to South East which is the only geopolitical zone that has not produced a Nigerian President, the party is bound to fail woefully in the zone.
“As the powerhouse of Igbo youths saddled with the responsibility of defending the political interest of Ndigbo, we are putting the PDP leaders on notice that if they fail to zone the ticket to South East in the 2023 Presidential elections, no Igbo man living anywhere in Nigeria will vote for the party.
“We call on all Igbos in Nigeria to ensure that they have their Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, and wait for our signal to know which party to vote for in the Presidential elections. Ndigbo cannot be taken for granted by anyone again. It is our turn to produce the Nigerian President of South-East extraction come 2023.
“We, therefore, call on the PDP to, as a matter of urgency, zone the party’s Presidential ticket to the South East or lose the support of Ndigbo living all over the country”.
Daily Post recalls that reports emerged recently that the opposition party has thrown its presidential ticket open for all aspirants.
However, the Chairman of the zoning committee and governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, debunked the report, claiming he was misquoted.
