By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
Imo North senator, Frank Ibezim has commenced moves to ensure that the Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, emerges as the Igbo consensus presidential candidate on the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC) ahead of May 30 presidential primaries of the party.
In a statement he issued yesterday, senator Ibezim enjoined Rochas Okorocha, Dave Umahi, Orji Uzor Kalu, Ken Nnamani, among others presidential aspirants from the South-East to shelve their ambition and anoint the Minister as the consensus aspirants for the zone.
While arguing that since Nwajiuba has the competence, youthfulness, likeability and closeness to President Muhammadu Buhari, the zone should not miss the opportunity.
Ibezim further noted that for the fact that Nwajiuba is the first aspirant from the South-East to pick nomination forms, which shows seriousness, capability and commitment to lead the party to victory, he deserves the complete and total support of all progressive party man and woman especially the South easterners.
“The purchase of form and acceptance to contest the presidential ticket of APC by Honorable Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba (HCN) the Minister of State Education is a thoroughly remarkable development.
“In this context being the first person to have secured this nomination forms to contest and from the Southeast shows seriousness, capability and commitment to lead the party to victory, he deserves the complete and total support of all progressive party man and woman especially South easterners.
“For long we have clamored to be given the opportunity to provide leadership of this country at the highest level. The has come and Hon. Nwajiuba is that person who has the competence, youthfulness, likeability and closeness to the President and other key stakeholders of the party,” he noted.
Hitting the gavel on his suggestion, the Senator pleaded that; “given these facts, I want to call on other South-East politicians nursing similiar ambition and who have not purchased the form to put a halt. This is the time for unity, this is not a contest we want to go into scattered, bruised and fighting ourselves.
“Nwajiuba from every indication is the key to APC presidential ticket, let us rally around him. Let us not give those who mock the Igbos that they are never united the room to do so. With Nwajiuba already in the ring, let us rally round him. Let us not throw away this golden opportunity. This is the time to speak with one voice. I call on Igbo leaders to rally together to enable us to get to this destination,” the statement said.
