Massob tells Igbos eyeing the presidency in 2023 that they are embarking on a mission impossible

SECESSIONIST group the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (Massob) has warned Nigeria's Igbos against running for president in 2023 pointing out that anyone who does so will be wasting their money and venturing on a mission impossible.

Although not constitutional, Nigeria's component parts have a gentleman's agreement that the presidency will rotate between the north and the south of the country. President Muhammadu Buhari's tenure will end in 2023 and being a Fulani northern Muslim, it is expected that the next president will come from southern Nigeria.

Each half of the country is made up of three geo-political zones, which in the south is made up of the southeast, south-south and southwest geo-political zones. However, since the return to democracy in 1999, the southwest has produced President Olusegun Obasanjo. while the south-south has produced President Goodluck Jonathan, so the next president should come from the southeast.

Already, several candidates from Nigeria's Igbo-speaking southeast geo-political zone have begun making moves towards standing in 2023 but Massob is warning them that it will be impossible for an Igbo man to become the president of Nigeria. Massob's national director of information, Sunday Okereafor, stated that the plot to ensure that no Igbo would ever assume the position of president begun after the civil war.

Mr Okereafor said: “Those people calling them to be ready for the presidency are not sincere. We know that it will turn out to be a waste of funds and a waste of time as an Igbo will never rule Nigeria, so Igbo politicians should avoid wasting their money.

“Alex Ekwueme tried it and failed, Rochas Okorocha went and failed, Ogbonnaya Onu went there and failed. Also, Odumegwu Ojukwu tried the presidency and failed, a lot of Igbos tried it and failed.”

He urged Igbo youths to engage themselves in meaningful ventures and shun any politician from Igbo extraction seeking their support for the presidency. Mr Okereafor pointed out that some Igbos in government only went there to get money, saying nobody will take them seriously when the time to occupy critical positions in government comes.