May 25, (THEWILL) – Three southern governors have graciously backed Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide in its plan to honour the invitation to attend the inauguration of Nigerian President-elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Monday, May 29, 2023, at Eagle Square, Abuja.
A statement issued on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, by the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Secretary General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the apex Igbo socio-cultural group stated that Governors Dave Umahi of Ebonyi, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia and Nyesom Wike Rivers States, have seconded their decision and are actively working with them to actualise that.
According to him, it will be unwise for Ndigbo to boycott the inauguration of the incoming administration of the Federal Government of Nigeria under Tinubu since it will amount to cutting off our noses to spite our faces.
“Ndigbo is grateful to Umahi, Ikpeazu, and Wike for their perseverance to ensure that Igbos repositioned themselves in the incoming administration of Tinubu-led Federal Government.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide is mobilising massively to attend the inauguration of President-Elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday, 29th May, 2023 at Eagle Square, Abuja.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo came to the pragmatic conclusion that boycotting Tinubu’s inauguration was of no strategic benefit to Ndigbo. Rather, it would lead to undue isolation of Ndigbo while giving the impression that Ndigbo was at war with him(Tinubu).
“For the avoidance of doubt, Ohanaeze wishes the Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, in the 2023 Presidential election, Mr Peter Obi, well in his pursuit to exercise his legal and constitutional rights over the election result declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
“However, Ohanaeze Ndigbo urges Ndigbo to remain law abiding and avoid engaging the Tinubu-led Federal Government in confrontation. Ndigbo is mindful of the future and will never play bad politics of bitterness and malice against President-Elect Tinubu.
“Indeed, the era of “nzogbu nzogbu” politics is over and Ndigbo should learn to approach political issues in Nigeria from a holistic perspective not disjointed sentiments.
“Furthermore, world leaders including Former UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair and US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, have already congratulated Tinubu, and their countries are billed to attend his inauguration.
“Therefore, it is based on the fact that boycotting Tinubu’s inauguration or fighting him is not in the Igbo interest that the three above-named Governors are eager to not only facilitate Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s attendance at the inauguration, but have resolved to stick out their necks to ensure that Ndigbo is not isolated and left in the cold under Tinubu”, he said.
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