2023: Igbo Leaders Inaugurate Panel to Scrutinize Guber Candidates in North

Francis Sardauna in Katsina 

The leadership of Nd’Igbo in 19 Northern states has inaugurated a committee to scrutinise and evaluate the governorship candidates of all political parties in the region ahead of the 2023 general election.

The committee, according to the group, would guide the Igbo residents in the region on their choice of the governorship candidates in each of the 19 northern states that will represent their interest and protect their businesses.

The spokesperson of the group, Chief Ikechukwu Chukwunyere, disclosed at a formal endorsement of the Katsina State All Progressives Congress (APC) guber candidate, Dr. Umar Dikko Radda, Thursday in Katsina.

He said: “We decided at our July 2022 general meeting in Abuja that considering the large number of the Igbo resident in the northern parts of the country, there is the need for the Igbo and their business interests to be protected.

“The Igbo community in line with the mandate given to them to assess, analyse, dissect and scrutinize the various governorship candidates contesting for the 2023 governorship election had set up a screening committee.

“The committee after a rigorous job has unanimously endorsed the candidacy of Dr. Umar Dikko Radda as the best candidate for this job. It is worthy of note that this endorsement is devoid of religious, ethnic or political party affiliations.”

He explained that the ruling APC gubernatorial candidate is committed to ensuring that the dividends of democracy accrue to not only Katsina State citizens but to all residents of the state.

While extolling Radda’s visionary leadership qualities and courage, Chukwunyere expressed optimism that the APC governorship candidate will lead Katsina youths to greater heights and the state out of economic peril and security challenges.

Responding, Radda promised to run an all-inclusive government irrespective of religious or tribal differences that will usher in unity, peace, justice, harmony and economic prosperity of the state.

According to him, “Whether you are an Igbo, Yoruba, Igala, Nupe or from Borno, we are all going to take you as one. Whatever privileges that we are going to extend to people of Katsina State, we will extend them to everyone staying in the state.

“We will ensure your protection, the protection of your houses, businesses and your places of worship. I will do justice to everyone because the backbone of every leadership is justice, if there is no justice there wouldn’t be peace, harmony and economic prosperity.”