Ohanaeze Insists On Zoning
Sunday, 15 August 2010 00:00 From Lawrence Njoku, Enugu News - National
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APEX Igbo Socio-Cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, reaffirmed its support for zoning, stressing, however, that the Presidency must be allowed to rotate within the six geopolitical zones that make up the Federation.
Although, it said it was yet to take a position on whether or not to support the presidential ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan, it maintained that power should be allowed to remain in the south-south or southeast geo political zones of the country, as they remain the only ones that are yet to hold power at the highest level.
Addressing journalists shortly, after the Imeobi meeting of the Ohanaeze, its President General, Ambassador Ralph Uwaechue, said Ndigbo would not hasten to express support for any person or group in the 2011 presidency without a concrete assurance on what they stand to gain for such support.
He stated that the present practice, where presidency was being rotated within the north and south, negates the spirit and letters of true federalism, stressing that such was the cause of underdevelopment of the country.
He said: “We believe and support zoning, but presently, it is only the south-south and southeast that have not tasted power, and we want that for them. Zoning must be practiced, strictly on the basis of the six geo political zones of the country, and not on the north and south thing.”
He explained that Ohanaeze would not give support to Jonathan’s presidential bid or that of any other person without extensive consultation with her people, whom he said consist different political parties with various political ideologies.
He added that what was paramount at this time was actualising effort that people of the zone might speak with one voice, stressing that Ohanaeze was tired of Ndigbo being used and dumped by emerging leaders of the country

Igbo support zoning ONLY on the basis of the 6 zones and not on south-North basis. That way, all zones are eligible to produce a president at specific intervals and not just one zone from North and/or south

Jonathan: We’ve not decided - Ohaneze
From CHIDI NNADI & PETRUS OBI, Enugu
Sunday, August 15, 2010

Photo: Sun News Publishing
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Apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo, yesterday in Enugu, said it has not decided whether or not to support President Goodluck Jonathan’s presidential bid in 2011.

President General of the group, Ambassador Ralph Uwechue, disclosed this at an interactive session with journalists after the Nzuko Ime Obi (meeting) of the group that lasted several hours, following an earlier open support by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, for Jonathan.

Chief Iwuanyanwu, who left before the meeting ended, had enjoined the Igbo to support President Jonathan in 2011 so as to realize the presidency coming to the South East in 2015. But Uwechue countered him when he said that they cannot declare support for anybody without first consulting the Igbo people.

His words: “Ohaneze has not taken any position for or against Jonathan. In all the interviews I have granted about Ohaneze Ndigbo, we cannot declare support for any person without first of all consulting Ndigbo to find out where they want to go. “The Igbo nation has many people in different political parties; you must take cognizance of this fact. As individual Igbos, you may have your preferences. But I can tell you one thing, nobody can come to your house to harm you without coming through your neighbourhood.”

Uwechue also said the leadership of the Ijaw National Congress (INC) and Ohaneze met recently, saying “we received them (INC) and had very fraternal relationship and discussions and we returned the visit.”
He said that the Igbo intend to help build up good relationship with their neighbours, adding that they have started with those who had come to them and hoped to expand from there.

“We are tired of Ndigbo being used and dumped at every given time because some of us go individually to seek office. If Ndigbo sit down first and analyze what they want as a people, then they can use it as a bargaining position to deal with any group they feel will make it easier for them to secure that objective,” he said.
Before Iwuanyanwu left, he had argued that Jonathan replaced the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and as such they have a joint ticket that would subsist up to 2015.

He said Jonathan would do only one term, which would elapse in 2015, after which it would be the turn of the Igbo to occupy the presidency. He expressed fear that if Jonathan is not allowed to continue in 2011, it would be difficult for the Igbo to occupy the seat in 2015 as any other person coming would like to do a second term.
“We should, therefore, adopt him (Jonathan). Let him know our problems and when it is our turn, he will support us,” Iwuanyanwu reasoned.

Iwuanyanwu is an idiotic political contractor. Does anyone expect GEJ to do only one term?

You keep on replying to your own topic.
Is that not the same as talking to yourself in a crowded place.

Sharon_f:

You keep on replying to your own topic.
Is that not the same as talking to yourself in a crowded place.

LAF WAN KILL ME !

Zone can not hold. It is wrong and undemocratic. Look at this, how far is this to the people of Edo or delta state.

Should they too not have zone.  When lagos is more populated than the south east and Oyo  state is more. How can there be zonning.
Explain to me. I am hear to listen.

What is democracy, Is democracy dictatorship ?   zonning is dictatorship



So the Igbo are ready to wait till 2048 . Una get head