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| Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, NEF spokesman. |
The Ohanaeze Igbo Women Organisation, has said the North can continue to retain power only if Nigeria ceases to remain a united country.
The group stated this in response to a recent statement by the spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, where he said heaven will not fall if a northerner is again, elected the next Nigerian President come 2023.
Baba-Ahmed while delivering a keynote address at the maiden Maitama Sule Leadership Lecture Series organised by the students wing of Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, said the north will not accept to serve as a second fiddle in 2023, when the region has the population to go to clinch the first position.
He said, “The North is not for sale and northerners will surprise those waiting for them to queue up in 2023 and be given money in exchange for their votes.”
However, in its response, Ohanaeze women in a statement signed by its President, Chief Hon. (Mrs) Calista N. Adimachukwu, said the “era of arrogant disposition by those so called Northern leaders who claim to speak for the North is now a defunct story.”
She added, “The recent statements by the Northern Elder's Forum spokesperson, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, while speaking at the maiden Maitama Sule Leadership Lecture Series organised by the students’ wing of Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, where he stated that anyone who doesn’t want a Northerner as President in 2023 can leave the country when it happens.
“For avoidance of doubt, my reply to him on the 7th of July 2021 when the Southern Governors issued a communique on their meeting which was held on the 5th of July 2021, that the president of Nigeria should go to the South in 2023. I stated clearly then that the North cannot produce Nigerian President without the support of the South according to the Nigerian constitution.
“But since the North is very determined to lord over the Southern Nigeria perpetually, then they can prepare their votes and vote a President of Northern Nigeria and not a President of the entire Nigeria. I think that will settle the arrogance of the Northern Elder's Forum.
“At least there won't be any further need after 2023 for the Northern Elder's Forum to be making provocative statements on issues bothering on the Presidency of Nigeria. My response to Hakeem Baba-Ahmed on the 7th of July 2021 settled the matter. The era of arrogant disposition by those so called Northern leaders who claim to speak for the North is now a defunct story. A word is enough for the wise.
“The Ohanaeze Igbo Women Organisation Worldwide wishes to reiterate that we stand by the decision and stance of the Southern Governor's Forum that the 2023 Presidency belongs to the South.”