Group Seeks Strong Voice For Ndigbo

A group, Igbo Awareness
Movement, has called for synergy and merger of Igbo-oriented political parties to give the South-East a strong voice in the 2019 general elections.
This is contained in a communiqué issued by the group to newsmen in Enugu.
“We call on Igbo political leaders to use this opportunity of Igbo reunion in the yuletide to get APGA, UPP, PPA and other political groups to a round-table on how to build a strong political front for Ndi-Igbo.
“We believe that Ndi-Igbo have what it takes to form a formidable political and economic union capable of putting an end to the lamentable state of Igbo influence in Nigerian politics,’’ it said.
The statement called on the leaders of APGA, UPP, PPA and other Igbo political groups to embrace the new consciousness for Igbo emancipation.
“The reality of Nigerian politics today calls for Ndi-Igbo from different political persuasions to stop the lamentations, divisive and selfish politics from within,” it said.
According to the statement, Ndi-Igbo should come together and birth a new political bloc that will pursue Igbo interests before any other interest, so that progress and development will return to Igbo-land.
Looking back at roles played by great Igbo politicians such as Zik, Okpara, Mbadiwe, Ekwueme and others before and after independence in shaping Nigeria, the group said that “it is a huge disappointment’’ that no current Igbo leader could boast of any such feats.
“This vacuum of political leadership in Igbo-land has made it easy for the political leaders of other ethnic blocs to manoeuvre and marginalise Ndigbo in the scheme of things in Nigeria.
“ It is, therefore, very important now, as other political blocs broker alliances against 2019, for Ndigbo to put our house in order. The time to act is now,’’ it said.
The communiqué was signed by the Chairman of Board of Trustees and Chairman, Merger Steering Committee of the group, Chief Larry Iloh and Mr Ukaobasi Agbonma, respectively.