“South East must have their two terms of eight years before Ohanaeze should come up with the proposal. It would amount to cheating if the people of South East zone are denied the presidency and not given the opportunity to produce Nigerian president that will serve for eight years," he said.
Ambassador Chidike Ukauwa, a governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abia state, has faulted the six-year single-term for presidency proposed by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo on the ground that it will cost the Igbo their 2023 presidential bid.
Mr. Ukauwa said this while speaking with newsmen in Umuahia, Abia State capital, on Tuesday.
Sahara Reporters had reported on Monday that former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Charles Soludo, had made a call for the elongation of the period of a term for presidency from four years to a single six years term. He also proposed that there should be five vice presidents from the other five geopolitical zones.
According to Ukauwa, the six-year single term bid will only further marginalize the country. He described the Ohanaeze’s proposal as undemocratic, ssaying the North, South West and South-South had completed their two terms.
“South East must have their two terms of eight years before Ohanaeze should come up with the proposal. It would amount to cheating if the people of South East zone are denied the presidency and not given the opportunity to produce Nigerian president that will serve for eight years," he said.
"What we want is Nigerian president of Igbo extraction in 2023 and creation of additional states in South East. So, the single term of six years proposed by Ohanaeze Ndigbo would not bring the needed development in the country."
He urged the Ndigbo to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s second-term bid so an Igbo man can emerge President in 2023.
He then urged the President and the National Assembly to ignore the proposed single term of six years for the President and state governors, saying it would not solve the problems ravaging the nation.