The former Governor of Bornu State Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has tasked chieftains of the All Progressive Congress in the South – East geo-political zone to give at least six million votes to President Mohammadu Buhari in 2019 to secure the party’s presidential ticket in 2023.
Sheriff, who spoke at the Olokoro Umuahia Country home of Senator Chris Adijihije, after a closed door meeting of APC chieftains in Abia State, said members of the party in the South – East zone, should endeavor to register their presence in party for them to have the opportunity to lead the country after President Buhari.
He insisted that political offices is often negotiated for in Nigeria, therefore the Igbo can cannot stand aloof and expect the presidential ticket to be given to them by others.
He said, “The Nigerian politics is negotiated, you cannot stand aloof and expect other people to give you government. After Buhari Power will rotate to the southern Nigeria, where there is South- East, South-West and South-South, therefore the zone that has the presence of the party most will take it.
“But from what I witnessed in Owerri, the Imo State capital on Tuesday it means that the South- East have started repositioning themselves for good. If they execute what they have started in Owerri during the 2019 election, then after Buhari they would have a chance to produce the president”.
Also speaking the former Governor of Abia State Chief Orji- Uzor Kalu said the APC is committed to basic democracy where every vote will count.
“We have promised president Buhari that in our state he will make 75% vote and in the South- East Buhari will make 61% vote and nothing will stop that because Buhari was very benevolent to the Governor in Anambra State and he will reciprocate to our call in 2019’’ he said.
In a remark Sen. Adihije said the presidency of Nigeria is not a donation, adding that it would not be given to somebody or a group that did not desire for it.
“There has to be a desire for something so that the person that receives it can appreciate it. So if we sit down and fold our hands and think that the presidency zoned to the Southern part of the Country in 2023, where three zones in the South will be contending for it, will be given to us without hard work it is a lie.
“Even if morally speaking the presidential ticket should go to the zone (South –East) that have not produced the president before but if the presence of the party is not felt in the zone we cannot get it”, he stated.
An Abia South senatorial district aspirant in the party Chief Mark Wabara also solicited for support for President Buhari in 2019.
“We cannot play opposition politics in the South- East and we have taken a decision that come 2019 we will vote massively for president Buhari.
“My chances of winning the Abia South senatorial ticket are very bright, the experience is there, the good will is there and we are going to jointly take Abia State to the next level.
“What is happening in the State in terms of development and the non performance of the incumbent government has made it easy for APC to win the State”, he said.
