Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, has advised Igbo politicians not to contest against President Goodluck Jonathan in the February 2015 presidential election, stressing that leaders from the South East have unanimously endorsed him for a second term in office.
She gave the charge in a statement made available to QED.
According to her, any politician of Igbo extraction that goes against the decision does so at his or her own risk, adding that such politician will not receive any support from the zone.
In her words: “we have concluded at the last World Igbo Congress in Houston, USA to support Jonathan’s re-election. So, any Igbo politician that wants to vie for the office of the President in 2015 is on his own, such person is only going to waste his resources because the leaders had decided to support Jonathan for his second term bid because of what he has done for Ndigbo.”
The Minister insisted further that it is foolhardy for any Igbo politician to contemplate contesting against Jonathan after the massive clamour from other geopolitical zones for his re-election, adding that, “the South East has benefited immensely from President Jonathan’s administration in terms of infrastructures and development, job creation, youth empowerment, among other laudable projects, so we have concluded to continue to support him in the overall interest of the Igbo people.”
She maintained that those insist on contesting for the office of the President are the same people that have failed as governors of their respective states, adding, “for instance the Federal Government has just released another N1.2billion for the Port Harcourt-Owerri Road in continuation for the massive infrastructure development across the South East aside the Second Niger Bridge and other Federal Government projects scattered across the zone.”
The reference to the N1.2billion was a reaction to the claim by the Imo State Government that all Federal Government projects in the state had been abandoned.
She argued further that the Federal Government has directed Ministries of Finance and Niger Delta to ensure that the money is released.
