Stephen Ukandu News/ Features Editor
Leader of the Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazurike, has said that he has only one blessing for presidential aspirants, and that he has given it to Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.
Uwazuruike, had on Saturday, led some South-East youths in a solidarity march in Owerri, Imo State, in support of the 2023 presidential bid of Bello.
The MASSOB Leader reportedly said he did not believe in the Nigerian President of Igbo extraction, arguing that the contest should be thrown open.
Speaking with Ikengaonline on Monday, Uwazurike reinforced his position, and support for Bello, saying that he has no apologies for his choice.
He said that competence and not ethnic or religious background should be the barometer to determine the next president of Nigeria.
Chief Uwazurike also said that the age of the next president mattered much to him, insisting that his support will not go to any presidential aspirant beyond 50 years.
He said Bello had the qualities he expects from a president, hence his unwavering support for him.
According to him, time has come for younger people to take over the leadership of the country not minding their ethnic background.
The MASSOB Leader who expressed surprise that no presidential aspirant of Igbo extraction had accorded him the courtesy of informing him of his ambition, said he had only one blessing for presidential aspirants, and that he had given it out to Bello.
“My blessing is one and I have given it to Yahaya Bello, and I can’t take it back. I’m not like politicians who double speak.
“I want somebody below 50 years who can fix the country for the good of all, and I have seen it in Yahaya Bello.”
Asked if he would prefer a united but better administered Nigeria to having a president of Igbo extraction, Uwazurike said: “I will go for a better system.”
Continuing, he said: “What the citizens want is the person that will deliver, provide job opportunities, security and food on the table. Whether the person is Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa is immaterial.
“That Buhari is the President of Nigeria today and a bag of rice is about N30,000 or more doesn’t benefit any Fulani man or anybody from Katsina State.
“So, I don’t care where the President comes from. Why we have agitations everywhere in Nigeria today is because of injustice and inequality orchestrated by the same old people.
“That is why I want younger people to take over the leadership in Nigeria, and Yahaya Bello comes as one. I have no apologies to anybody.
“No Igbo man has told me he is coming out for President of Nigeria. None of them has even telephoned me to tell me that he is coming out, but Yahaya Bello came all the way from Kogi State to my house here and spent about four hours begging me to support him when no Igbo man even gave me a phone call to support him.”
Asked if he would endorse the ambition of any presidential aspirant of Igbo extraction that comes to seek his support tomorrow, Uwazurike, said he could not give his blessings to two presidential aspirants at the same time.
On whether he would drop the agitation for Biafra self determination if Nigeria gets a better leadership, the MASSOB Leader said “until such a time.” He added, however, that what matters to Nigerians is a country of justice and fair play.
