Atiku, Ohaneze just split

The Ohaneze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, has congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari on his victory in the Presidential Election of Feb. 23.

The group, which supported Buhari’s challenger and PDP’s candidate Atiku Abubakar, also urged the first runner up to concede defeat, and the international communities to aupport Buhari.

This may not go down well with Atiku who believes he must challenge the APC victory to deepen democracy.

President Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared re-elected by INEC on Wednesday, having polled 15,191,847 votes, winning in 19 states.

Buhari defeated 72 other candidates, including Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 11,255,978 votes and won 17 states and the FCT, to occupy the second position.

The Secretary General of the group, Chief Uche Okwukwu, gave the congratulatory message while briefing newsmen in Enugu.

“The Ohaneze Ndigbo heartily rejoices and congratulates President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, on his well-deserved victory at the Presidential polls on Feb. 23.

“His victory as exposed by the majority of votes cast has clearly shown that the President has been on the right course in the last four years.

“Ndigbo are deeply happy that Mr President secured more votes in Igbo land than he got in 2015.

“We urge all Nigerians and the international community to accept the verdict as the election was adjudged free, credible, transparent and peaceful.

“Ohanaze is calling on all not to heat up the polity through unguarded utterances and actions,’’ he said.

Okwukwu added that the leadership of the group would be meeting with President Buhari next week to present to him official congratulatory message on his well-deserved victory at the poll.

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He, however, said that the group would use the occasion to present to Buhari the charter of their demands for infrastructure uplift of the entire Igbo speaking areas of the country.

“Part of our demands will be the completion of ongoing infrastructure works such as the 2nd Niger Bridge, modern railway, completion of ongoing Enugu-Onitsha and Enugu-Port Harcourt roads, fixing of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport among others,’’ he said.

Ohaneze members are drawn from seven states, which include; Abia, Anambra, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers States.