The icing on the cake for Ndigbo was the election of Emeka Ihedioha of Imo State, which clearly showed that Ndigbo are resolved to start redressing the wrongs of the last few years from inside Igboland.
Igbo leaders have restated their commitment to restructuring, stating that Nigeria will continue to "feel the weight of Igbo votes", until the agenda to restructure the country becomes a reality.
This was disclosed at a meeting of Igbo leaders and Chief Nnia Nwodo, President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in Enugu State, on Sunday.
They commended their people for active participation during the elections, as well as the efforts of Nwodo to lead the organisation.
Senator Ben Obi, who led the delegation, was accompanied by former Governors Achike Udenwa and Okwesilieze Nwodo, Senator Azu Agboti, first chairman, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, former Minister Dubem Onyia, and Professor Alphonsus Nwosu.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Nwosu said: “The delegation was proud that the principled stand of Ndigbo on restructuring was galvanised by Ohanaeze Ndigbo, under the very capable leadership of the President General and this resulted in the massive turnout of Ndigbo at the last general elections, not only in the South-East, but throughout Nigeria, and vowed to assist the president general to ensure that Nigeria shall continue to feel the weight of Igbo votes until restructuring is accomplished, and those who continued to ignore Igbo votes in Nigeria do so at their risk.
“The delegation pleaded with the President General to ignore the activities by a few Ndigbo, to sabotage the collective Igbo view since the Igbo votes strongly endorsed his position, but frowned seriously at the sell-out of Ohanaeze Ndigbo by the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and urged that he should be strongly sanctioned.
“The Igbo leaders reiterated that the task of restructuring Nigeria into a nation that works for all its citizens and not just for only a section of its citizens, remains the top priority agenda of Ndigbo in Nigeria, and, as the Igbo adage says; ‘The jaws do not rest until what is being chewed is finished.’ The President General must ensure that this burning desire of Ndigbo, for the restructuring of Nigeria, continues to remain on the front burner of Nigerian politics.”
Commending the Igbo for turning out during the 2019 elections, he added: “The icing on the cake for Ndigbo was the election of Emeka Ihedioha of Imo State, which clearly showed that Ndigbo are resolved to start redressing the wrongs of the last few years from inside Igboland.
“It was clear that Ndigbo are not afraid and will not be afraid in Nigeria; whether in Owerri, Lagos, Kano, Abuja, Aba, Enugu, Warri or Asaba, to express their full citizenship rights and their dissatisfaction with the way they are being treated politically in Nigeria."