The South-East Unity Forum (SEUF) has urged stakeholders in the polity to allow credible aspirants from the zone jostling for the 2023 presidency to pursue their ambition without distraction.
This is just as the forum condemned the public statement by an Igbo group criticising the endorsement of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim by some Igbo leaders.
National Coordinator of the forum, Humphrey Ukeeja, in a statement, yesterday, decried the campaign of calumny against Anyim, whose presidential ambition is already gaining national support.
Anyim’s consultations recently received boosts following endorsements by the former Senate President, Adolphus Wabata and Senate Minority Leader, Eyinnaya Abaribe.
But the Igbo group, in a statement, described the endorsement as hasty and self-serving, thereby demanding that Wabara and Abaribe should withdraw the endorsements.
Reacting to the development, Ukeeja urged all interested aspirants of Igbo extraction to throw their hats into the ring, adding that anyone should be free to endorse whoever they want to endorse.
“It is a choice and civil right, anyone should be free to endorse whoever they want to endorse. Such comments should not be entertained. It is unfair and unbecoming of an elite group like “democratic civil” society. This is because democracy has given everyone the freedom of choice and Abaribe and others have every right to exercise that freedom of choice more so as the report did not indicate that the former SGF is not qualified to be a good president rather than the endorsement is hasty. Such group should be proud of the Igbo leaders who are standing out.”
He noted that Anyim parades an intimidating credential and political pedigree to win and succeed as a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction.
“So far, the Anyim for president campaign has gathered momentum in the south-east and every part of Nigeria, nobody should discourage any candidate, let others come up and test their might, whoever gets the support of the people will emerge,” he stated.
