Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo political organization, Chuks Ibegbu, on Sunday accused the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of betraying the Igbos.
Ibegbu made the remark while reacting to the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as PDP presidential candidate.
Speaking exclusively with DAILY POST, Ibegbu said PDP went contrary to the nation’s mood by picking Atiku as its presidential flag bearer.
He, however, said the Igbos should not rely on political parties but on individuals if the Southeast must achieve its goal of producing Nigeria’s president.
According to Ibegbu: “The mood of the nation is for power to shift to the Southeast, and contrary to the nation’s mood, the PDP has betrayed the Igbos, which we paid the price to sustain. The PDP betrayed the Southeast and the Igbos.
“Ab initio, we have always advocated that for the sake of peace, equity, stability, the progress of the nation, and power should shift to the Southeast political zone and Igbos in general.
“So, PDP went against the mood and current of the nation. However, the door is not yet closed; other political parties are there. And I think we should not be relying on political parties but on individuals if we want to move Nigeria forward.
“PDP has done its own, and other parties are expected to do their own, then Nigerians should decide if we want to continue to be the world’s poverty capital, Nigerians must decide if they want to continue with the insecurity in the Northern part of the country. The insecurity is more in the Northeast, where Atiku hails from. There is insecurity in Daura, where Buhari hails from. We also have insecurity in the Southeast and all over Nigeria.
“The delegates that went to the PDP convention and decided to be swayed by financial inducement, they and their children would face the challenges of tomorrow if we don’t get things right.
“I challenge APC presidential delegates to shun money. Is it not better that Nigeria is progressive and developmentally controlled for the benefit of their children? Or they want billions as a bribe to bring about the wrong leadership. We have been gnashing our teeth for the past seven years due to this collective betrayal, and we are suffering the consequences. Atiku has emerged, and other parties would do their primaries. At the end of the day, Nigerians should shine their eyes and decide if they want to continue in religious and tribal sentiments.”