Names Of APC South-East Delegates Who Sold Their Votes To Be Compiled, Disgraced – South-East Association, ASETU
South-East communities under the aegis of Association of South-East Town Union (ASETU), has decried the case of marginalisation of Igbo in Nigeria both in politics and social development.
It described the presidential primary elections of the All Progressives Congress Party (APC), and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where they “hatefully failed to produce a South-East presidential candidate,” as a clear manifestation of conspiracy and lack of want of Igbo in Nigeria, which they said, was responsible for agitation for the Biafran republic.
ASETU National President, Chief Emeka Diwe, who spoke Friday in Enugu, said the names of the APC South-East delegates who refused to vote for Igbo presidential aspirants but sold their votes for money would be compiled and disgraced.
Diwe said, “Our fear is that this ugly incident has graduated to the terrible state of alienation. For us, there could be no better time to ensure that Igbo man deservedly becomes the President of Nigeria than now.”
He stated that going by the constitutions of the major political parties; they were expected to zone the President to the South this time. “In the South, also South-East was to be the automatic beneficiary being the only zone that has not tasted either the exalted position of the President or Vice President since the democratic dispensation that started in 1999.
“The South-West has had the President for 8 years and Vice President for 8 years by May 29, 2023, the South-South had the President for 6 years and the Vice President for 2 years, leaving the South-East with none. It is only equitable, just and fair that the South-East produces the next President of Nigeria which begins with all the political parties fielding an Igbo presidential candidate.
“The Igbo had made such concession to the Yoruba in the past. But the deep rooted hatred for Ndigbo by other tribes in Nigeria, has played out, hence the ruling APC and PDP refused to cede their presidential tickets to the South-East, rather, they went to yet another Northerner for PDP and a Yoruba for APC.”
He regretted that despite that such brazen injustice and marginalisation had received regular mention by agitation groups both in the South-East and other regions, it had continued.
“We, however, doff our hats for Igbo aspirants, particularly Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, and others for their courage and boldness in speaking out against injustice meted to the South-East during their speeches at the primary elections.”
ASETU President disclosed that the party primaries had also exposed the real saboteurs in Igbo land.
“These are the South-East delegates who were chosen to represent Ndigbo but went there to fest their nest. They practically sold out their Igbo brothers and voted for aspirants of other regions obviously because of money.
“Records showed that five South-Eastern States had about 389 delegates/votes in the case of the APC. Of this number, Ebonyi State had 39 delegates, Imo 100, Anambra 100, Abia 100 and Enugu 50 votes. But shamefully, only 40 votes from this number went to South-East aspirants. It is important to mention that 39 of the 40 votes came from Ebonyi State delegates.
“Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State got 38 votes while Dr Ogbonanya Onu had one vote. The other one vote went to Hon. Emeka Nwajiuba. The question is who did other Igbo delegates of South-East vote for? Certainly contestants from other zones.
“It is for this patriotic reason that ASETU therefore thumbs up for all the delegates from Ebonyi State for making the Igbo proud. They did not sell out nor allow their reasoning to be swayed by pecuniary interest. They are the true sons of their forefathers. They have made the Igbo HALL OF FAME with appropriate rank and designation.
“As for those shameless desecrators of their fatherland, we have traditional way of handling such deviants. We therefore call on all the traditional heads and “Aka-ji-Ofors” of Igbo land to do the needful with their Ofo, while calling on the aged Umuada/Umuokpu to do the needful with their hindsight.”
Diwe revealed the union had directed all the Presidents General in the affected areas to compile their names for subsequent exposure and committal unto a disgraceful hall of “shame”, declaring that “enough is enough.”