Igbo presidency: Ngige, Sagay disagree on zoning

THE Igbo must negotiate with other zones to get their support for the presidency, Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, said on Wednesday.

He said the Igbo must work hard to make the dream a reality as power is not served à la carte.

Ngige said the All Progressives Congress (APC) constitution only talks about rotation, not zoning.

In an interview with NATION correspondent, he said: “APC has no arrangement for zoning in its constitution and none of the parties has. Our constitution talks about rotation and it says the rotation is between the North and South.

“We expect going forward, that all political parties should come to the South to pick their presidential candidates. We think Ndigbo should be favoured because we have not tasted it, but power is not served à la carte.”

But, eminent professor of law Itse Sagay (SAN) there is a convention among all political parties that power should rotate between the North and the South.

According to him, all presidential candidates should come from the South in 2023 according to the convention, which he said has become law.

Ngige said advised Ndigbo to join the ruling party if their dream of an Igbo president is to come true.

The minister said: “You cannot get the 2023 presidency through threats like some of our people are currently doing, but through negotiations with our friends in the West.

“Once again, I’m pleading with our people to join APC for us to have enough number before 2023.

“We can’t sit at a place and be crying of marginalisation. We are part and parcel of Nigeria, no one owns the country, and it belongs to all of us.”

Ngige said Igbo leaders would meet over 2023 election, adding that the Southeast must discuss to move forward.

He faulted claims that the Igbo are marginalised, blaming some clerics for reinforcing what he said was misinformation.