Field Igbo presidential candidate, Ohanaeze tells APC

The apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndi’gbo, has told the newly formed All Progressives Congress that it will only support a political party that picks its presidential candidate from the South-East geopolitical zone. The APC is a product of the merger by four opposition parties – All Nigeria Peoples Party; All Progressives Grand Alliance; Congress for Progressive Change; and Action Congress of Nigeria.
The Publicity Secretary of the Ohanaeze, Mr. Osita Oganah, in an interview with our correspondent on Friday , however, said the group would not restrict its lobbying to a political party, adding that presidential aspirants from the region would be encouraged to realise the Igbo presidency ambition.
Oganah also berated the Young Igbo Christian Ministers Congress for asking the region to forget about the presidency until after 2019.
President of the congress and General Overseer of the House of God International Church, Mr. Athan Azubuike, reportedly cautioned Igbo politicians that no aspirant from the South-East would be President of Nigeria until 2019 and beyond.
However, Oganah said although the cleric had the right to express himself, such should be done with caution.
Meanwhile, Second Republic governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, has said the region was set to negotiate the 2015 presidency with President Goodluck Jonathan.
He said the Igbo would vote for the President if he seeks re-election on the condition that he would also support the South-East presidency after serving his second term.
In a separate interview with our correspondent, the elder statesman said the region would play “a game of cooperation” with Jonathan.
Ezeife said,  “If Jonathan will go for a second term, we will meet with him. If he will contest without destroying the democratic structure, we will support him. If he wins, we’ll ask him to support us. Then, it will be win-win, not win-lose or lose-lose.”