As the 2015 general elections draw close, the Ndigbo have been advised not to cast all their votes for only a party but instead play a balanced game.
They were particularly advised against ‘dumping’ their votes for People Democratic Party (PDP) only.
Speaking exclusively to our correspondent after the declaration of General Muhammadu Buhari as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC),Osita Okechukwu, the spokesman of the South-East All Progressives Congress (APC) called on Ndigbo “to do a rethink, think out of the box and resist voting for only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 general elections’.
“Methinks it is imperative we hearken to the old adage which admonishes that it is better for a group not to put all their eggs in one basket. What did we benefit compared to the unprecedented support we gave to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan administration?” he asked.
He noted that other major ethnic tribes in the country do not play politics like the Ndigbo who follow one way.
His words: “Our contemporaries in the Nigerian project, the Yoruba and Hausa, in the collective interest of their people are deeply entrenched in PDP and APC. While Ndigbo are only deeply entrenched in the PDP”.
On the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), where Igbos are also entrenched, he said that APGA is more or less a satellite or sectional department of the PDP.
He appealed to Ndigbo to join Buhari in his broad based nationwide movement which includes provision of critical infrastructure that “is more in sync with the fundamental objectives of the hard working and enterprising Ndigbo”.
“It must be noted that the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, made it mandatory for every government under the federal character principle, that every state and region shall be equitably represented in ministerial and departmental and agency appointments. It is not a favour, it is the position of the law, therefore with bad roads and poor social amenities Jonathan did not do us any favour.
“Finally, one challenges Ndigbo to spread their votes between APC and PDP in the 2015 general elections, instead of putting all their eggs in one basket. Thus hoping that between now and 14th February, 2015, date for presidential election that Ndigbo will massively like other Nigerian patriots join the Buhari vehicle for Change”, he said.