The Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, has advised the Igbo ethnic group “to jettison every action and activity that would reduce the high stake (their) region has in the country so as to produce the next president of Nigeria.”

Uzodinma said this in Owerri, the Imo State capital when he welcomed his counterparts from the other states of the South-East and stakeholders of the region to its first security summit last Sunday.

“Igbo are major stakeholders in Nigeria as they constitute the second largest population of every city in Nigeria,” he said.

“Our people have more stake in real estates in virtually all the major cities in the country, our people control the commanding height of commerce all over the country.”

The Governor explained that no ethnic group in Nigeria is more united than the Igbo.

“We, the Igbo are more united than any other ethnic nationality in Nigeria, through our shared struggle, our chequered history and our deep-rooted extended family traditions and brotherhood makes our values, beliefs, commitment to a united Nigeria, beyond reproach.”

He said this at a time when the peace in the region is threatened by some “dissident groups” who have taken up arms and created the impression that the Igbo want to leave Nigeria to create their own nation called Biafra.

“What Ndigbo wants is justice, equity and fairness. A Nigeria that provides a level playing ground for all citizens. That is what we want, not Biafra. And we believe we can get what we want through constructive and tenacious engagement with fellow Nationals and relevant institutions, not by violence or war. Igbo have seen war, not in storybooks or in movies but real war. No right-thinking Igbo, who experienced the excruciating and devastating effects of the civil war on Igboland and our people, will vote for another war. The young and inexperienced may zealously want to beat the drumbeat of war, but it is our duty, as their parents and elders to talk them out of it.

“Those creating the erroneous impression that Igbo want to leave Nigeria are either naive or mischievous. Igbos need Nigeria just like Nigeria and Nigerians need Igbo,” he said.