Igbo president essential to stabilise the country —Moghalu

To stabilise the country and secure full reconciliation, a former presidential aspirant, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu has highlighted the importance of a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction, saying it was essential to stabilise the country.

According to him, forces outside the South East region are frustrating the efforts.

He, however, urged Ndigbo to look beyond the President Muhammadu Buhari administration and plan towards repositioning the South East region beyond his era.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Igbonine Socio-Cultural Organisation in Enugu, Moghalu explained that the current secession agitation might not succeed due to several constitutional, international, and other extraneous factors.

Also, he insisted that although Ndigbo were committed to an indivisible Nigeria, time was ripe for the rest of the country to prove their commitment to a country anchored on equity, fairness, and justice.

Moghalu, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) bemoaned the situation of the Igbo since the end of the civil war, adding that it had become difficult for the South East to survive politically, due to the psychological impact of the civil war.

He continued: “The situation brought several choices including constitutional restructuring to true federalism with significant autonomy for regional or state governments, demand for a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction, secession (Biafra) and allowing the status quo to remain.

“It is even sadder that the two major political parties in the country-the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) were not committed to allowing a president from the South East region.”

The former presidential aspirant decried President Buhari’s public opposition to restructuring, adding that it was inevitable for Nigeria to survive.