Ohaneze Ndigbo lambasts Amaechi for saying that Nigeria's next president cannot be Igbo

PAN-Igbo socio-political organisation Ohanaeze Ndigbo has lambasted transport minister Rotimi Amaechi for saying that the southeast cannot produce Nigeria's next president in 2023 because the geo-political zone did not vote for President Muhammadu Buhari.

During Nigeria's last election, President Buhari performed badly in the southeast geo-political zone, with his All Progressives Congress (APC) failing to win in any of the five states in the region. According to Mr Amaechi, the southeast cannot demand for the presidency in 2023 because the region failed to vote for President Buhari in the just-concluded presidential election.

Chuks Ibegbu, Ohaneze Ndigbo's publicity secretary, said Mr Amaechi is not God as such cannot decide the political future of the region. He described the minister’s remarks as disgraceful and an affront on the people of the southeast.

He added: "It’s very unfortunate that an Igbo man of that calibre could make such a statement in public, it’s very bad. There is no Yoruba or Hausa man that would say his people would not produce president for one reason or the other.

"Whether we voted for Buhari or not it’s not for Amaechi to make such statement. It’s a very big affront on the political dignity of the Igbo people and let me tell you it’s not for Amaechi to tell Igbos where to learn politically.

“He can advise bit it’s a tragedy for him to go to the public to make such a statement. If he is not happy with the way Igbos voted he should have kept it to himself or advised them quietly, I’m disappointed by that statement.

 “Besides, Rotimi Amaechi is not God to decide the political future of anybody including the Igbos, it’s a very disgraceful. Some Igbos voted for Buhari just like some Hausas and Yorubas did so there is no essential tribalising the political scenario.

It’s not a tribal thing as Atiku won in Oyo and Ondo States and almost won Lagos State so is it not Yorubas that voted for Atiku. In the north, Atiku made a very strong presence so what will Amaechi say about the Yoruba and Hausas that voted for Atiku .

“This is very disgraceful and many Igbo elites are found of doing this, condemning their people publicly. It’s very unfortunate."