President Muhammadu Buhari’s close associate, Isa Funtua says the only way the South East geopolitical zone can clinch the presidency in 2023 is to play “inclusive politics”.
He added that the zone should not expect anyone to drop the highly-coveted position on its laps.
Funtua, who is a Life Patron of Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigerian (NPAN) made this known on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Saturday.
He urged Igbo politicians to emulate the presumed winner of the 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, whom he said practised inclusive politics.
According to him, this enabled the Yoruba business mogul to defeat Bashir Tofa, a Northerner, in the election.
Funtua, who hails from Katsina State like Buhari, accused the media of spearheading the clamour for Igbo presidency in 2023.
He said, “They should belong. They should join the party. They want to do things on their own and because they are Igbo, we should dash them the presidency? That was the reason I said is it turn by turn Nigeria limited?
“You are talking of politics, which is an issue of votes. My very good friend of blessed memory, MKO Abiola defeated Bashir Tofa in Kano. Was MKO Abiola from Kano? But he defeated Bashir in his town, Kano. Why? Because the man played politics, he embraced everybody.
“If you send him an invitation for anything, if he is not there, his representative will be there and he will play his part. You cannot sit down and say because you’re an Igbo man, there is no fairness.
“With due respect to the Igbo, they fail to understand that when the South-west chose to remain on their own as opposition, they did not go near power. To a large extent, the north in terms of religion and culture are closer to the South-west than to the South-east. When Ekwueme contested (for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ticket), Chief Olusegun Obasanjo defeated him.
“I know Nigerian politics, you chose your candidate who will be able to bring votes to you to win election, not on regional basis, not on tribal basis. Is he going to be the President of the North, East, South-west, South-south or whatever?
“If the Igbo want to be President, then they must belong. If you don’t belong, then you can’t be the President.”
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