A political support group, The Patriots For Ogbonnaya Onu, on Thursday, asked All Progressives Congress’ presidential aspirants to step down.
The organisation pleaded with the aspirants to support the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ognonnaya Onu, to emerge as Nigeria’s president in 2023.
It was gathered that Onu, a former Governor of old Abia State, is set to formally declare his ambition to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday.
The leader of TPFOO and former Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics), University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, said this during a visit to the minister in Abuja.
Fawehinmi, a nephew to the late human rights lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN), said, “Ogbonnaya Onu, in our opinion is the most qualified.
“Moreover, we think that it is the time for the South-East to produce Nigeria’s next leader. In the eyes of natural justice and equity and for the reason of fairness, national cohesion and stability, it is the turn of the turn of the South-East that constitutes about a quarter of the country’s population.
“We cannot have a stable society when about a quarter of your population are nursing a feeling of discontentment. Egalitarianism cannot be fostered when a major segment of the society is nursing a feeling of discontentment. One’s election will assuage a feeling of real or perceived marginalisation among the Ndigbo.
“So, we urge the APC to put its best foot forward. Other candidates should step down and forge a common front with Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu so that APC will retain its power post-2023 and defeat the PDP.
“A multicultural society like Nigeria requires a nationalistic leader and technocrat like Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu that can be trusted with its unity and treasury and can provide transformational leadership devoid of sentiments and rancour.”
