Northern Communities residents in the South-East geopolitical zone have declared that peace would remain elusive to Nigeria until an Igbo man or woman is allowed to become President.

The Northern communities under the aegis of AREWA communities in Igbo land who addressed a press conference in Umuahia, Abia State, said that Igbo should be allowed to succeed President Muhamnadu Buhari in 2023 in the spirit of equity and justice and fairness.

According to them, it is now time for power to shift to South East as that will help to engender peace and national cohesion.

“The unity of this country should be paramount in our hearts. This, we can achieve by allowing an Igbo man to emerge as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come 2023″, they said.

They, however, advised Igbo political elite to reconcile their differences and produce a competent and popular detribalised Nigerian to contest for the 2023 presidency, assuring them of full Northern support.

National President of the group, Alhaji Mohammed Nalado Umaru who spoke on behalf of the AREWA communities, urged other geopolitical zones not to contest for the office of the President but leave it for South-East in the spirit of brotherhood.

“We are sure that the North, West, South-South and others will support this noble agenda”, they added.

Alhaji Umaru expressed concern over the lopsidedness of Nigeria’s leadership against Igbo, and called for the correction of the anomaly in 2023 for Nigeria’s continuity.

“We, the Northern people living in Igbo land are highly in support of an Igbo Executive President in 2023. We live and earn our living in Igbo Land and will continue to live together as an indivisible entity.

“Igbo are accommodating and pan Nigeria. What will be required from them is to harmonise themselves and produce a detribalised person that will be contesting the 2023 Presidential election.

“Late Sarduana of Sokoto, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Tafawa Balewa and Awolowo did not envisage disunity and war when they fought our colonial masters to secure our political and economic independence.

“Our experience today centres on tribalism, nepotism, marginalisation, religious sentiment, bribery and corruption which has eaten deep into our hearts.

“If we can tell ourselves the truth, the leadership in the country has been lopsided as sensitive positions are denied a particular ethnic group.

“President, Vice President, Senate President, Speaker House of Representatives, Inspector General of Police, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, Chief of Air Staff, Director General of DSS are all occupied by an ethnic group, leaving the Igbos to feel marginalised.

“We should not fan embers of crisis because where there is war, nothing is secured, let us give peace a chance like our founding fathers”.