Why we’re working for Buhari’s re-election – Igbo group

President Muhammadu Buhari's support group, One-on-One Nigeria has stated that its support for the president was to quicken the at...

President Muhammadu Buhari's support group, One-on-One Nigeria has stated that its support for the president was to quicken the attainment of a president of Igbo extraction.

The group, in a press briefing by its coordinator, Mr Chido Obidiegwu, an aide of Governor Willie Obiano, said it had taken time to make proper evaluation of the options available to Ndigbo in the coming presidential election and concluded that President Buhari was way better an option.

He said, "One-on-One Nigeria is an independent network of ndi Igbo determined to achieve Igbo Presidency by returning President Buhari for second term.

"This, we do through a massive awareness campaign to convince ndi Igbo that four years of President Buhari is better than eight years of any other person, we hope to achieve this dream via a project Tagged 4 Is Better Than 8."

The group argued that the Igbo pitched tents with President Jonathan and humiliated President Buhari in the zone during the 2015 presidential election, stressing that contrary to expectation that President Buhari would retaliate, he rather took Igbo in by undertaking infrastructural projects in the zone.

"In his wisdom and magnanimity President Buhari, hearkened to the former and began to address the Igbo's most pressing needs which bordered mainly on infrastructural development.

"To this end, he began serious work on the long abandoned second Niger Bridge, the long abandoned Enugu Port Harcourt express way, the Zik's Mausoleum, Ariaria Aba Independent Power Project, etc. These, among other projects Igbos yearned for over 16 years now and could only be realized under President Muhammadu Buhari."

Obidiegwu added that Buhari had demonstrated his love for the Igbo by picking Dr Chuba Okadigbo and Hon Edwin Umezuoke as running mates during his first two attempts at the presidency.

"Successive military and civilian administrations could not do much to elevate the Igbo spirit as desired and deserved. It only took President Buhari who Igbos rejected at the polls to address some of their key desires abandoned by previous regimes.

"President Buhari's other national socio-economic and political interventions have also endeared him to well meaning compatriots, hence the tacit support by One-on-One Nigeria for President Buhari's 2" term as a vehicle of achieving Igbo Presidency come 2023.

"Given that he is steering the ship of the nation aright and believing that the fastest and the best avenue for Igbos to clinch the presidency of Nigeria not in 8 years time but in 4 years time which only President Buhari can offer, we in One-on-One Nigeria are resolute and unequivocal in our support for this 2nd tenure," Obidiegwu said.

The group, which mainly consists of members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and aides of Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, promised to work hard to promote Buhari's second term bid, arguing that the matter was beyond political affiliation but interest of the Igbo.