The Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr Osita Okechukwu, says the South-East has snubbed the call for revolution protest because the Igbo are aware that 2023 is the date to elect a president of Igbo extraction and are pretty certain it is their turn.
“2023 is the date Nigerians are waiting for change of baton of democratically elected government in the country,’’ he observed.
Okechukwu said this on Monday while holding a meeting with WAWA Farmers Association in Enugu.
He was reacting to the nationwide protest by Global Coalition for Security and Democracy led by Mr Omoyele Sowore.
The people of the South-East are aware that 2023 is the date we are waiting to elect Nigeria President of Igbo extraction; that is why they won’t participate in the protest.
“Instead of protest, they are urging President Muhammadu Buhari to overhaul the security architecture and upgrade the security infrastructure.
“They cried that insecurity is hampering their farming activities,’’ he said.
Asked why he thinks his people consider 2023 more important than the dire insecurity in the land, Okechukwu said that the people knew that in democracy, street protest would neither alter the crisis on the ground nor provide solution in the short run.
Okechukwu said; “Nigeria President of Igbo extraction is our goal, which street protest will not enhance.
“We are in constitutional democracy, no matter the challenges, it is better to adhere to the cycle of elections provided in the 1999 Constitution,’’ he said.
On Sowore’s detention, he appealed for his release on compassionate ground.
“Sowore will come to terms that the huge gains democracy made in United States and in particular, New York, where he resides, were made over the years via periodic and cyclic elections not via revolution’’.
