Ogun – Sunday 4 July 2021: The Eselu of Iselu Kingdom, Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, has declared his support for Igbo presidency.

The first-class monarch said the next Nigerian President should emerge from the South East for the sake of justice and equity.

In an open letter sent to President Muhammadu Buhari, the Eselu called his attention to the obvious tension in the country, which he said could be traced to cries over injustice and inequality from the southeast.

Oba Akinyemi opined that the insecurity bedevilling the South East would disappear if Igbos are given the opportunity to rule the nation.

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“As a stakeholder and patriotic citizen of this country, I want to state without equivocation that the entire security challenges bedeviling this country from the South East will disappear within a twinkle of an eye, if and only if, all sections of this great country can come together to pave the way for the emergence of a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction in the year 2023,” the Oba stated.

According to a copy of the letter made available to DAILY POST on Sunday, Oba Akinyemi mentioned that the wound inflicted on Nigeria through the Biafran war would continue to linger in the minds of well meaning Nigerians.

“How long are we going to hold the sin of the Biafran war against the people of the South East?’ For the sake of peace, I want to plead that Nigeria should forgive and forget the 1967 – 1970 Biafran debacle,” he pleaded.

“Mr. President, as we all know, the Igbos are our brothers and sisters who possess great talents in the area of small and big businesses within and across the borders of Nigeria. Based on their enterprising nature, they contribute heavily to the economic development of Nigeria through payments of huge taxes into the coffers of all levels of governments in our dear country; hence they should also be given what is due to them in Nigeria.

“Finally, I want Mr. President to know that there are some competent and trusted Igbos in your cabinet and party who can be entrusted with the position of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come year 2023.

“If Your Excellency can be magnanimous to support and enthrone a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction in the year 2023, it will not only write Your Excellency’s name in gold, but will also enable the South Easterners to have a sense of belonging in Nigeria,” the letter reads in part.

Speaking to CEOAFRICA source, Eselu said he would rather support an Igbo man in 2023 instead of supporting the yet-to-be declared ambition of Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The traditional ruler said he would rise above ethnic sentiments to support a Nigerian from the South East, saying “Yoruba has ruled Nigeria before.”