Ohanaeze slams APC, PDP for not zoning presidential ticket to South East, threatens to boycott 2023 elections

By Akinwande Soji-Ojo

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, has threatened that the South East will boycott the 2023 general elections if the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fail to produce presidential candidates of Igbo extraction.

The PDP, at its 96th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, on Wednesday night, threw the contest for its presidential ticket open.

But Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in a statement issued by its factional Secretary General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, on Thursday, criticised PDP’s decision to throw the contest open, saying it would mobilise the South East to use the option of sit-at-home to boycott the elections if its aspirants did not emerge as presidential candidates of APC and PDP.

“The decision of PDP for an open contest and jettisoning the zoning formula shows the height of deception, treachery and deceit against Ndigbo after milking Igbo votes for 22 years.

“Without the Igbo as presidential flagbearers in APC and PDP, there will be a total boycott of the 2023 elections through sit-at-home,” the statement read in part.