- Paul Unongo, the Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) said the political history of Nigeria is incomplete without acknowledging the late Nnamdi Azikiwe
- Unongo said Azikiwe would have become Nigerian president 1987 if Igbos didn't reject him
- The elder statesman, however, challenged credible Ndigbo to contest presidential election
Chief Paul Unongo, the Northern Elders’ Forum on Thursday, November 16, said Igbos rejected the late Nnamdi Azikiwe as presidential candidate during the 1979 elections.
Unongo spoke at a lecture organised by Chief Charles Udeogaranya and Ohanaeze Ndigbo to mark Zik’s post-humous 113rd birthday in Lagos state.
He said: ''I will talk Nigeria on Zik’s birthday. I remember the first time I saw Zik, when he came to Tiv land, it was in 1946.
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''My father obliged me and took me there. I remember, I had six shillings and I was so moved, I donated the entire sum to his cause, as espoused.
''Truthfully, the political history of Nigeria is incomplete without acknowledging the towering role of Zik in the political movements and parties in colonial and post-colonial Nigeria, notably the Nigerian Youth Movement, Zikist Movement, National Council of Nigeria and Cameroons and Nigeria Peoples Party, of which I had the privilege of being its first secretary-general.''
Unongo praised Zik’s leadership qualities, which he said convinced him to work for him.
''It was this conviction that made me take the Rt. Hon. Nnamdi Azikiwe throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria canvasing for votes, to make him the executive president of the federal Republic of Nigeria in the elections of 1979.
''To my greatest surprise and shock, I found the greatest resistance to my presidential candidate in the Igbo speaking area of Nigeria! The majority of Igbo people told me that no Igbo man could become President,'' he said.
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The elder statesman further challenged credible Igbos to contest presidential election
According to him, ''Let a true, committed patriotic Nigerian Igbo person, and there are many, stand now. Let him/her lobby, campaign and canvass the votes of Nigerians and ask Nigerians to vote him/her as president.
''I believe the people of Nigeria, if convinced, will vote that Igbo man or Igbo woman President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that Former governor of Abia state, Orji Uzor Kalu, said the Igbo have better chance of getting the presidency seat in 2023 after President Buhari's second tenure.
Kanu, who made the statement in Umuahia on Sunday, November 5, urged the southeast to stick with the All Progressives Congress as the future of the Igbo is greatest.
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Source: Naija.ng