Following his defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, a former member of the Nigerian Senate, Sen. Chuka Utazi, who represented Enugu North senatorial zone from 2015-2023, has called on the people of the Southeast zone to ensure that they are not left out in national decisions by aligning with the ruling party.

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Utazi made the call in Enugu over the weekend when he spoke as a guest during Solid FM’s political program, Freedom Square, monitored by our correspondent.

He argued that aligning with the centre will position the Igbo man for the plum job of Nigeria’s president.

He further noted that having four political parties in five Southeast states wasn’t good for the zone, charging all southeast governors to join the APC for the good of the region.

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In his words: “I am in politics not for answering names or titles but because I see it as a contract with the people.

“I played national politics for 8 years and after moving around and seeing things done, I discovered that we the Igbos are not doing it right.

“I joined the APC to redirect the Southeast and link up to the national grid and ensure that one day, an Igbo man will be the president.

“We should be nationaliatic about our politics and not limit ourselves to a small enclave. We have numerous political parties in the Southeast which have limited our growth and will continue to until we align. Five states, four political parties, where have you seen that kind of thing?

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“South East has been voting for PDP, to no avail, voted for Labour to no avail, it is time to support APC.

“I am a wise man, I come from the East, and I have decided to move on. As a wise man, it is not good to exclude ourselves from national politics.

“This is because, in Nigeria, we don’t have political parties but only platforms where we use to drive our political interests.

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“We don’t play ideological politics, which is why as Igbos we must always follow and join the party at the center to protect our interest because, if not, one unfavorable policy by the Federal Government will destroy all we have achieved for years in one minute.”

“Our plan is for an Igbo man to become president when power comes down to the south again.

“If we have 5 Southeast Governors from APC, there is no way we will not achieve a mark. It is better for the Igbo to become a servant in heaven than King in hell. It is time to move to the center.”