Time for Igbo person to be president is close, says Atiku

If the zoning arrangement espoused by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is sustained, an Igbo person will be made president of Nigeria in 2015, former vice president Atiku Abubakar said this at the weekend in Imo State.

An agreement between the political blocks of the north and south-east says Igbo person will be supported to become president in 2015 in a design meant to rotate the presidency round the various political zones of the country.

The former vice president who spoke on “The Tale of Two Cities: The Enugu Sports Club and Nigeria” on Friday during an anniversary lecture marking Nigeria @ 50 advised the Igbo to start working toward presenting a president for Nigeria.

Abubakar whose rhetoric  drew intermittent rapturous cheers from the audience maintained, “Some 40 years after the civil war, it is about time that someone who is Igbo, one of Nigeria’s three largest ethnic groups becomes president of Nigeria. This will be the boldest way to put the civil war behind us.

“That is why I fully support the agreement recently signed between the northern leaders and the leaders of the south-east.

“As agreed, the south-east would support the north in 2011 to complete the remaining four years of its eight-year tenure while in turn, the north will support the south-east to produce the next president in 2015.

“This is the first time such an agreement for power rotation has been written and singed and made public.

“Again, I support that agreement. It is in writing. It is widely publicised and I want to be held to it.

“The south-east must not let this historic opportunity slip. Your destiny is in your hands. You must not allow an end to zoning and power rotation when it is only a few years to your turn.

“The agreement for power rotation came because of agitation from our southern brothers against the perceived domination by the north.

“The south under President Obasanjo had eight years. The north was to have its eight years. It is important to remember that the eight-year term was not zoned to any particular northerner, but to the north. In effect, the north is entitled to complete its eight-year term.”