Chief Chekwas Okorie, while reacting to the allegation that Ndigbo has never agreed on any issue, and that the quest for the presidency in 2023 was already creating fault lines, said such posture was most uncharitable.
He said: “There has never been a time in our recent history that the people of the southeast geopolitical zone have demonstrated the unity of purpose on a common cause, as being done on the 2023 South East’s bid for the presidency.
“The meeting that held at Igbere, in Abia State on Tuesday, January 5, 2021, across party lines was unprecedented and a major milestone in the annals of the southeast political journey in Nigeria. Some critical stakeholders, in obvious overreaction, took out an advertisement in a national newspaper to distance themselves from the meeting on the grounds that they did not know the agenda of the meeting.
It is possible that the conveners fell short in certain aspects of consultations that they made. This notwithstanding, the meeting was a monumental success. The communiqué released at the end of the meeting established the fact that the objective of the meeting was noble, altruistic, and not designed to promote the political aspiration of any one person. I am convinced that subsequent meetings will even be more successful as noticed lapses, especially in terms of consultation, adequate notice, and publicity will be taken care of. We need everybody on board. The important thing is that a movement to actualise the Nigerian President of southeast extraction in 2023 has begun. I am profoundly proud to be part of it.”