A former High Commissioner to Malaysia, Yerima Abdullahi, has said the Igbo or any part of the southern region will not be given the position of President on a silver platter.
The former envoy, who spoke to our correspondent in Gombe, added that if the late M. K. O. Abiola did it in the past by winning widely, it could be replicated in 2023 and beyond.
He said, “Let the Igbo be serious. Everyone knows how to handle the Presidency. We have learnt from what the late Abiola did – even as the election was annulled, he beat a Kano man even in Kano.
“He won more votes in northern Nigeria. The reason for annulling the election was entirely something different, not for you and I.”
Abdullahi added, “If there is an Igbo man who thinks he is capable of being acceptable in Nigeria let him try. Abiola has done it before, although from the South-West; so, any Igbo, Efik, Ibibio; anyone from the South can do it again.
“There is nothing miraculous about it, so I can’t understand the argument about the Igbo presidency. For one thing, we in the North will not hand over the office of President to Igbo or anybody on a (silver) platter.
“It is not free of charge. They can’t sit down in their own enclave castigating everybody, thinking that other Nigerians will be happy with them, No! If you want Nigeria to vote for you, go and meet them in their own corners.”
