The Ndi Eze, a group of Igbo traditional rulers from Imo State, have announced their endorsement and support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s bid for a new term of office through the 2019 general election.
The about 200 monarchs of members of the group announced this in a communiqué read by His Royal Majesty, Eze Oliver Ohanwe, after their meeting which took place at Okigwe Local Government Area of Imo on Wednesday.
According to them, President Buhari has done well and therefore deserves to be given another mandate to rule the country.
The communiqué reads, “We thank the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari for his selfless and dedicated service to the nation, his commitment to ensure common good for all and his unwavering drive for the peace, unity and progress of the country.
“We are completely convinced that the policies and templates of development already laid down by the president in the last three years was based on critical thinking, careful and strategic planning and would catalyze rapid national development in his second term.
” The president was essentially elected on the firm promise to tackle corruption and security. This administration has given a lot of fillip to these noble agenda. With the president’s grit and strategic support to the relevant institutions, corruption in our national life has practically reduced by more than 75 per cent.”
The monarchs said Buhari has performed very well and ” justified the huge magnitude of the mandate freely given to him in 2015 which cut across ethnic, religious and even partisan lines, having a clear message which is no escape from change and has restored the dignity of our country.”
“Buhari has put the economy on the part of sustainable growth, revitalized our ailing institutions and strengthened resolve and determination to ensure that change has really come.
“Were the entire members of the Council of Ndi Eze, with our citizens, alongside the overwhelming majority of Nigerians completely align ourselves with the President’s patriotic response to the various calls to seek re-election in 2019.”
However, the monarchs asked the President to support the Igbo to produce the next president of Nigeria in 2023: “We assure Mr. President of our unalloyed support. We stand with him. That finally, we urge Mr. President to use his good will and reach to support the Southeast region to produce the next President of Nigeria after completing his second tenure in 2023.”
