2019: South-East Elders Council backs President Buhari for second term

South East Elders’ Council yesterday said they will support President Muhammadu Buhari for the 2019 presidential election if he decides to run again.

According to them, the All Progressives Congress, APC, government had done well in fighting corruption and the dreaded Boko Haram insurgency.

Speaking on behalf of the group at Nnewi, the Chairman of the forum and former President General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr Dozie Ikedife, said the decision was reached at the South East leaders meeting in Enugu.

His words: “It is not yet clear if President Buhari would contest again. He would not be drafted for the position when he had not indicated any interest.

“There are so many factors to be taken into consideration while talking about Buhari for the second tenure. You have to know whether the man wants to go for a second tenure before you begin to support him. If he does not indicate any interest, then what is the purpose of supporting him?

“Are you going to draft him into the position? And you should know that between now and 2019 is a long time in political calendar because a lot of things can still happen. There is this saying that man proposes, but God disposes. But left with us, if he wants to run, let him go ahead.

“We will support him but the decision has to come from him and not foisted on him by his handlers. That is the view of the South East elders’ forum.”

He further described corruption in Nigeria as a monster that could not be killed in one shot, urging President Buhari to ride on with the battle and never allow any room for sacred cows.

He added the forum reasoned that if the issue of corruption and insecurity were fixed in Nigeria, a good number of foreign investors would be attracted to the country with the attendant jobs creation and increase in the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).