2019: Igbo Assembly in 19 northern states adopt Atiku

By Yemi Itodo

With about seven days to the Nigerian presidential election, the leadership of ‘Igbo Delegate Assembly’ has thrown its weight behind the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

This is coming barely one week after Ohaneze Nd’Igbo, the foremost Pan socio-cultural group in south east Nigeria, adopted Alhaji Abubakar as the sole candidate of the region.

Rising from a stakeholder’s meeting in Abuja on Thursday, the Igbo Assembly, in a strong worded communiqué, affirmed its support of the Chief Nnia Nwodo led

Ohanaeze Ndigbo and its endorsement of Abubakar, as the Presidential ticket of choice for Ndigbo.

“The meeting joins Ohanaeze Ndigbo in endorsing the ATIKU-OBI ticket and

urges all Igbo Sons and Daughters, home and abroad to vote massively for

this choice on 16th February 2019.

“The meeting notes that the endorsement of the ATIKU-OBI ticket is because of their clear vision on restructuring and the strategy to make Nigeria work again, a move that has been welcomed and embraced by all ethnic nationalities across the country.

“The meeting strongly believes that a vote for ATIKU-OBI will bring Ndigbo

into the main stream of Nigerian politics.

“The meeting is convinced that presidential campaign train of ATIKU-OBI has garnered tremendous support across the length and breadth of Nigeria to actualize their mandate.

“It therefore believes that voting for ATIKU-OBI is a guarantee for the unity,

survival and progress of Nigeria and the future generation”, the communiqué reads in part.

The Assembly also urged “all Igbos at home and in diaspora to disregard

and ignore the nefarious activities of a few disgruntled persons who have

been paid by desperate politicians to sabotage Igbo interests and make it

look as if Igbos are not united in this cause”.

The Assembly which was presided by Chief Engr Tony Nwaorah, the President General and Chief Okougo Kenneth, Deputy President General, North East, was attended by 30 other stakeholders from each state of the north and south east.