He argued that the presidency should rather go to the geographical area or intellectual area known for competence and great character.
Human rights activist and presidential aspirant, Omoyele Sowore, has reacted to calls for zoning the 2023 presidency to a candidate from the Igbo tribe of Nigeria.
Sowore, who appeared on Arise TV on Tuesday morning, said zoning the Presidency to the South-East region would make no difference if the candidate elected on that basis was not the right candidate.
He argued that the presidency should rather go to the geographical area or intellectual area known for competence and great character.
There have been calls in different quarters for Igbo Presidency. Some of the supporters of the idea had explained that it was ideal a presidential candidate emerges from that part of the country to lay to rest the permanent feeling of disenchantment amongst the Igbos.
Reacting, Sowore said the decision to zone the presidency to a certain region was “undemocratic” adding that some of the people of the region were not even interested in who becomes the next President but rather, achieving their own nation.
He said, “An Igbo man becoming the president will not make a difference if he’s not the right person to lead. Each time there is an election cycle, the political elites in Nigeria who make this decision, which is undemocratic, will throw a bone at the Nigerian people. And their singsong this time around is that they want an Igbo to become the president. It’s not a decision that was taken with consent and the affirmation of the Nigerian people.
“If you go to Igboland today, they are not even interested in the elections. How do you tell IPOB members that it’s their turn to be president when they are agitating for a referendum and self-determination. Nobody went to the Yorubas to say who they wanted. Nobody went to Nigerians.
“All Nigerians are entitled to good governance and progress. An Igbo man becoming the president will not make a difference if he’s not the right person to lead. We should zone the presidency to the geographical area or intellectual area known as competence and great character.
“It’s a very divisive strategy to make people believe that if you bring an Igbo president, suddenly Nigeria will become El-Dorado.”