By Toby Chuks
Former governor of Anambra State and Chairman of Igbo Council of Elders His Excellency Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife has lent voice on the statement credited to Business Mogul Prince Arthur Eze that the current governor of Anambra State Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo would be the President of Nigeria of Igbo extraction on the long run and not the Presidential candidate of Labour Party in the forthcoming 2023 elections in Nigeria saying that the Prince of Ukpo kingdom either had a slip of tongue or was quoted out of context.
Recall that Prince Arthur Eze was widely quoted in the media as telling the governor of Anambra State Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo that he would be the right choice for Nigeria President of Igbo extraction on the long run and not the candidate of Labour Party for the February 25, 2023 election Mr Peter Obi. The Prince of Ukpo Kingdom was quoted as saying that he asked Peter Obi to bury his ambition to be President because Soludo will take over from the Presidential candidate of PDP for the 2023 Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who according to him is going to win the 2023 election and then hand over to Soludo at God knows when.
Reacting to the statement in an encounter with journalists at his country home in Igboukwu, the former governor laughed it off because according to him, the hand writing on the wall is indicating that Peter Obi will coast home to landslide victory to emerge as the next President of Nigeria. “Well, I have read the news and in my opinion Prince Eze either had a slip of tongue or was quoted out context by journalist who recorded the statement because Peter Obi is coasting home to victory and there is no stopping him” he added
He continued “It sounds funny for somebody to still expect Ndigbo to remain on the sideline and continue to face neglect and marginalization for more years under a President of Northern extraction. I think no reasonable person will append his signature to that. You can see that Nigerians of all walks of life including the youth are already revolting against continued sidelining of Ndigbo in Nigeria. Again it sounds funny for somebody to overlook what is close by to postulate on what might not be possible.
“What makes Arthur Eze think and believe and even be bold enough to say that Atiku will win President in 2023? And again what makes him think that Atiku will hand over to Soludo after his tenure? Some people are sadly disappointed and I am disappointed too if the statement is true because Arthur Eze like other well meaning Igbo personalities suppose to be at the forefront in the making of Peter Obi the winner of the Presidential election in February 25 next year”
The former governor however said he would make effort to hear from the horse’s mouth by reaching Prince Eze to ascertain if the statement is true and then for no out why he won’t be at the forefront to contributing towards the victory of Peter Obi at the polls in 2023 election.
