The Igbo Youth Vanguard, a civil society organisation, says Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State will protect the interest of the South East if given opportunity to be the country’s next president.
The group said this in a communique issued at the end of its delegate assembly held on Feb. 25, in Enugu and jointly signed by its National Co-ordinator, Mr Ede Maduka and Director of Strategy, Mr Uma Uduma.
The group while giving reasons why the people of the South East should back the 2023 presidential aspiration of Mohammed, said his antecedence in public offices stood him out.
It said the group had been closely monitoring Mohammed’s political and public service antecedents from when he was a senator.
It recalled that Mohammed led the charge on the Doctrine of Necessity that made Dr Goodluck Jonathan Acting President.
It said as a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mohammed ran an inclusive government and was now revolutionising governance in Bauchi state.
It said Mohammed spoke plainly and straight to the point and could be counted upon to protect the core interests of the South East if he won the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nomination and was elected into office.
According to the communique, the group has aligned itself with the recent postulations of Prof. Udenta Udenta, the founding National Secretary of Alliance for Democracy.
It recalled that Udenta had recently declared that rather than wait to be betrayed by her Southern political colleagues, who were unwilling to zone the presidency specifically to the South East, they should play smart politics by adopting Mohammed.
It commended Udenta’s clarity of mind and thought, visionary political insights and uncommon courage, saying that more of such were needed by South East political leaders.