Presidency 2023: Uwazurike leads Igbo youths to reject zoning to southeast, mobilizes solidarity march for Gov. Bello

Leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Ralph Uwazuruike, has expressed strong opposition to the zoning of the president to the southeast in 2023. The MASSOB head last Saturday mobilized Igbo youths in their thousands who took to the streets express their solidarity and support for Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress in the 2023 general elections.

The Igbo youths commenced the mass procession from the residence of the MASSOB leader in Owerri, Imo State, southeast Nigeria, went through the streets as they displayed placards expressing: “Power to the Youths, Support Yahaya Bello”; “Youths Can Also Lead”; “Yahaya Bello for the Youths”, beside other expressions.

Uwazuruike had earlier told leaders of political parties to disregard zoning, arguing that it has taken the country nowhere. He vowed that MASSOB/BIM never support zoning.

The MASSOB leader had insisted that the best candidate should become the president of Nigeria, declaring that Governor Bello of Kogi State is the best man for the job and should become the next president.

According to Uwazurike, “All Nigerians should rally round the youthful Governor, Yahaya Bello. Today is all about Nigerian youths.

“We are supporting Yahaya Bello for this and no one else. That he has the capacity to solve the problem of insecurity and a host of others facing the nation is not in doubt.

“This is a crucial time in the history of the country. We must give youths a chance, especially one that has demonstrated uncommon capacity, in the person of Yahaya Bello.”

The Igbo youths in their solidarity march in Owerri, maintained that “the only solution to Nigeria’s political quagmire is for power to go to the youths.

“In this regard, Governor Bello is the right fit for the position of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Uwazuruike, Founder of Biafran Independent Movement (BIM), asserted that he does not believe in an Igbo president. He stated that the presidential race should be thrown open.

Meanwhile, the Igbo nation of the southeast has several presidential aspirants in the APC, who include Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment; Senator Rochas Okorocha, former Governor of Imo State; Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, former Abia State governor; former President of the Seante, Ken Nnamani; beside others, including Igbo aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other parties. None of these fir into the qualifications evaluated by Uwazurike, the MASSOB leader and his followers.