**Date**: September 4, 2023
*Abuja, Nigeria*:
The Chidi Ibeh-led faction of Ohanaeze Ndigbo has warned that Northern leaders and political figures may work against the presidential ambitions of Bola Tinubu if the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) orders a rerun on September 16. According to the statement issued by the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Northern leadership and political figures have expressed dissatisfaction with Tinubu’s potential presidency and are waiting for the tribunal’s verdict to take action.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo further asserted that Northern leadership had already thwarted a planned invasion of Niger Republic by a group led by Tinubu under the banner of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The statement emphasized that there would be no coup d’état in Nigeria unless the North sanctioned it.
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization cautioned Tinubu about the challenges that lie ahead, citing recent coup attempts in Francophone African countries as warnings. These coup attempts, according to Ohanaeze Ndigbo, are in response to fraudulent election results, poor governance, disregard for the constitution by political elites, and the West’s imposition of elderly leaders as African presidents.
The statement also highlighted the discontent in Northern Nigeria with Tinubu’s style of leadership, concerns about the direction of Nigeria’s state, apprehensions about possible restructuring of the country, and the appointment of a Southerner as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister. Ohanaeze Ndigbo called on Tinubu to address the hardships faced by Nigerians and be cautious about the sentiments in the North.
